Cynodon dactylon |
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Plant Profile |
|
| Plant |
| ID |
|
410 |
 |
| Botanic Name |
|
Cynodon dactylon |
| Common Name |
|
Bermuda grass, Couch, Common Couch |
| Family Name |
|
Poaceae |
| Cultivars |
|
'Tifway','Tiffine','Tifgreen','Tifdwarf','Royal Cape','Riley#s Supersport','Santa Ana','Greenlees Park','Wintergreen','CT2 Couch' |
| Origin |
|
Africa, Zone 9-12 |
| Growth Type |
|
Grass |
| Bark Type |
|
Stemless / Acaulescent |
| Foliage Type |
|
Evergreen |
Water Use |
|
High |
| No. of Species |
|
8 |
| Growth Habit |
|
Prostrate mat-forming |
Growth Rate |
|
Fast |
| Height |
|
0.2 - 0.4 m (1 - 1 ft) |
Spread |
|
2 m (7 ft) |
| Plant Overview |
|
This is a warm season perennial grass spreads both by stolons and rhizomes and forms a prostrate habit. It has fine texture dark green lanced-shaped leaves that turn brown when dormant. If closely mown it forms a compact dense lawn. |
|
| Leaf |
| Type |
|
Simple |
|
Additional Information |
| Shape |
|
Lanceolate |
|
The lanceolate leaves are flat and stiff from 20 mm (¾ in) to 120 mm (4 ¾ in ) long by 5mm (¼ in) wide with a few scattered hairs and the underside is glabrous. The margins are scabrous. |
| Arrangement |
|
Alternate |
| Margin |
|
Serrulate |
| Colour |
|
Dark green |
| Size |
|
20 - 50 mm ( 0.8 - 2.0 in ) |
|
| Flower |
| Perfume |
|
Odorless |
|
Additional Information |
| Shape |
|
|
|
The purplish black inflorescence is a 4 to 5 digitate panicle with 5 branches up to 10 mm (3/8 in) long (windmill-like) held erect above the foliage on a slender scape and have spikelets that are 2 - 3 mm long. They appear during summer. |
| Inflorescence |
|
Panicle |
| Colour |
|
Green |
| Size |
|
20 - 50 mm ( 0.8 - 2.0 in ) |
|
Flowering in (Southern Hemisphere)
|
|
| Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
| Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
|
| Fruit |
| Type |
|
Caryopsis |
|
Additional Information |
| Colour |
|
Brown |
|
The pericarp is fused with the seed (caryopsis), these grass seeds are very small, 3,960,000 per kg. The seeds are viable but the plant may be reproduced vegetatively. |
| Edible |
|
No |
| Bird Attractive |
|
No |
| Size |
|
1 - 2 mm ( 0.0 - 0.1 in ) |
|
Fruiting in (Southern Hemisphere)
|
|
| Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
| Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
|
|
| Environment & Cultivation |
| Natural Soil |
|
Well drained sandy to loamy or clay soil, moist and fertile, pH 4.5-7.5 |
| Container |
|
Not normally grown as a container plant |
| Climate |
|
Warm to sub-tropical |
| Aspect |
|
Full sun, open position, frost, salt and drought tolerant, min temp. 2ºC (36ºF) |
| Pest & Diseases |
|
Black beetles, cutworms, army worms, couchgrass mite, scale, mealybugs |
| Fertiliser |
|
Annual application of complete fertiliser, regular application of nitroged fertiliser in summer |
| Pruning |
|
Regular mowing, 12 to 15mm, tolerates lower cutting |
| Cultural Uses |
|
Propagation |
|
Common Couch (Bermuda grass) is a hardy long lived grass that is grown as a domestic lawn or used on summer sports fields, golf courses, bowls/croquet, racetracts, lawn cemeteries, parks and reserves.
|
|
Sow fresh seed during spring in situ. Plant runners (stolons) from spring to summer and keep moist. Cultivars must be propagated vegetatively to ensure true to type. |
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