Common Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon)
Francisco Rivera Melendez, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactilon) is a common pasture weed. Native from Africa, it was introduced as a forage for livestock consumption in 1751. Soon after, Bermudagrass spread throughout the South.
Improved Bermudagrass cultivars (Tifton-85, Coastal, Alicia, etc…) have been developed for used in livestock operations, but common Bermudagrass can be invasive, especially in overgrazing situations.
Season: creeping perennial.
Height: 4 to 36 inches tall.
Growth habit: spreading.
Roots: fibrous, rooting from nodes, stolons, and rhizomes.
Hairs: none.
Joints: flattened, hairless, bearing dead leaf sheaths at each joint.
Sheath: with or without hairs, sheath margin with long hairs at the collar.
Ligule: membrane with a fringe of hairs.
Blade: with or without hairs on both surfaces, 1-7 inches long and 1/10-2/10 inch wide.
Seedhead: erect, with 3 to 9 finger-like branches 1-4 inches (3-10 cm) long, all at tip.
Seed: flattened, 1/8 inch (2.0-3.2 mm) long, hairy.
Propagated by: seed, surface-creeping stems (stolons), and rhizomes.
Comments: used extensively for forage and turf; identified by rhizomes, stolons, narrow blades, erect hairs resembling cat’s whiskers on margins of collar.
Herbicides:
| Active ingredient | Application Methods |
| Glyphosate (Roundup®, various brands)
|
Spot treatment: 1.3 – 4 oz/gal (1%-3% solution if sprayed by hand)
Wiper application: 33% – 55% solution (apply at 5 mph. Two passes in opposite directions. |
References:
- Stephen H. Futch and David W. Hall. 2015. Identification of Grass Weeds in Florida Citrus.
- D.W., C.L. Elmore and C. Davis. 2007. Bermudagrass: Pests in Gardens and Landscapes.
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