A Weed Called Bermuda Grass
Article by David H. Urmann
The Bermuda grass or “Cynodon Dactylon” is a type of grass native to Australia, Asia, Southern Europe and North Africa. Aside from being tough and fast growing, it can creep underneath the ground and it will root every time a node will touch the ground. With this tactic, it can then form a dense type of mat.
The Bermuda grass has the scientific and binomial name “Cynodon Dactylon”. It belongs to the Kingdom Plantae, Division Magnoliophyta, Class Liliopsida, Order Poales, Family Poaceae, Genus Cynodon and Species C. Dactylon.
Other terms for the Bermuda grass are as follows:
* Durva grass* Dog’s Tooth grass* Devil’s grass* Bahama grass* Indian Doab* Couch grass* Scutch grass* Grama
The Bermuda grass is a type of grass native to Australia, Asia, Southern Europe and North Africa. Although it is called Bermuda, it got it’s named due to its abundance as a kind of invasive species in Bermuda.
The Bermuda grass’ blades feature a sort of grey-green coloration. They are generally four up to fifteen centimeters short and they have rough edges. The Bermuda grass’ erect stems have the capacity to grow from one up to thirty centimeters tall. In fact, it is very rare that you will see a Bermuda grass about 90 centimeters tall. Aside from this, its stems are somehow flattened and oftentimes showcasing a tinged purple for its coloration.
Moreover, the production of the Bermuda’s seed heads is usually in clusters of three up to seven spikes at the top portion of its stem. Every spike is measured and estimated to be about three up to six centimeters long.
Furthermore, the Bermuda grass has a deep rooted system. During drought situations, and considering that there’s a penetrable soil, its root system has the capacity to grow for more than two meters deep. This is although a large fraction of its root mass is approximately not more than 60 centimeters below the surface.
The Bermuda will creep underneath the ground and it will root every time a node will touch the ground, which then forms a dense type of mat. Aside from this, the Bermuda grass reproduces via seeds that run through rhizomes and runners. These seeds will grow starting at a temperature of more than 15 degrees Celsius. Optimum growth will also run between 24 degrees up to 37 degrees Celsius. During the winter season, the grass will become dormant and brownish in color. Only a full sunlight can promote a Bermuda grass’ growth. On the other hand, it can be retarded by a complete shade, such as a place near tree trunks.
With this, it is also a noted fact that the Bermuda grass can only be cultivated within the world’s warm climate regions. This is indicated to be thirty degrees south and about thirty degrees north in latitude. In the United States, it is only found along the country’s southern half, the regions with warm climates.
Since it is tough and fast growing, Bermuda grass is famously used for sports fields and cemeteries. Another reason is the fact that when it gets damaged, it has the ability to recover quickly, like when you cut it. In other temperate and warm climates, it is a noted desirable “turf grass”. Since it is also very aggressive and it tends to crowd out a majority of other grasses, plus invade other habitats, as already mentioned above, it is regarded as an invasive type of species. In fact, it can even grow in very poor soil. This is where gardeners derived its other name, “Devil grass”, from.
Hence, this weed, grass or Bermuda, is generally more native to the famous African Savannah. There are even instances where in fires in the Savanna area tends to destroy the Bermuda grasses there but the Bermuda was still able to recover quickly. It is even the first one to actually grow back.
Although it is a good choice of grass for dry sections, especially since it has the capability to spread very easily, it is also indicated to grow best in areas where there is heavy rainfall. This is because this region can keep the Bermuda’s leaves moist, green and having purple tips. Thus, due to its long roots, the Bermuda grass is very hard to destroy. You still need to apply herbicides to it. Plus, when it invades various other grasses, it has the tendency to develop into an “unmanageable weed”. This is actually a big problem of homeowners who already desire a different type of grass for their lawn. Moreover, it can disrupt the actual production of vegetables and low-growing fruits, such as summer squash and strawberries.
In the United States, the introduction of the Bermuda grass was from the plantings taken from Bermuda. Lawns in the United States’ southeastern regions adore this grass. Floridians, on the other hand, have a hard time growing the Bermuda due to a type of pest called Sting Nematode.
Yet, with the many wonderful inventions and discoveries in Science, the Bermuda grass is now very convenient in animal husbandry and farming. It is the best grass for cattle. It can also help stem serious land erosion brought about by over watering or excess rains.
Furthermore, the Bermuda grass has known ancient significance. The Bermuda grass is indicated to be the selected grass utilized in feeding India’s sacred cows. Ancient Romans utilized the liquid derived from the Bermuda grass’ stems as a type of diuretic.
Thus, another noted fact bout the C. Dactylon or Bermuda grass is that it has medicinal properties that are still being studied. This is although claims for this regard still lack the necessary scientific evidence up to now.
It is also noted that modern Homeopathy includes juices from the Bermuda grass for mixes that can reduce a person’s sensitivity to allergies. This is by placing small amounts of recognized allergens. Hence, it is also a fact that the Bermuda grass is an identified allergen. This is why it can lead to stuffy nose or even allergic symptoms for both people and animals. In a sense, this where the problem sinks in, the Bermuda grass may result to more problems, health wise, rather than it can actually cure illnesses.
Lastly, the Bermuda grass is noted to possibly give relief for chronic diarrhea or utilized as a type of antiseptic.
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