Premium Bermuda varietals tend to be hardy turfgrasses, appreciated for their ability to thrive in Southern climates, even under heavy foot traffic. Developed more than 50 years ago, TifWay 419 continues to perform reliably in residential lawns, commercial properties and golf courses. In recent years, however, two high performance grasses, TifTuf™ and TifGrand®, have been introduced to the market, offering enhanced attributes.
TifGrand Highlights
In 2010 after nine years of testing by the University of Georgia breeding program, TifGrand was introduced as the first Bermuda to exhibit significant shade resistance. It’s been shown to tolerate 60% to 70% shade with five hours of direct sun. TifGrand is especially prized for its dark green hue and fine blade texture, requiring less nitrogen fertilizer to maintain its rich color. TifGrand is widely used on golf courses and can be a good product for home lawns, although it does require more frequent mowing at a lower height to look its best.
TifTuf Highlights
Two decades of development and testing led to the most drought resistant turfgrass in the industry—TifTuf Bermuda, introduced in 2016. This high performing varietal requires an impressive 38% less water than other tested grasses, and maintains its quality and color even under drought stress. TifTuf is also shade tolerant and rates higher than other grasses for traffic tolerance and for speed of recovery from wear or stress.
Shared Attributes
Both TifTuf and TifGrand Bermudas offer early spring green-up and late color retention in fall, staying green for more of the year than other Bermudas. Highly disease resistant, both varieties can be mowed as low as 1/2” for a well manicured appearance. TifTuf and TifGrand are produced and sold only as certified sod to ensure the highest quality and optimal performance.
Click to see a side-by-side comparison of all three premium Bermuda varieties.
