Turf
Hybrid bermuda grass 'Tifway 419'
Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon transvaalensis 'Tifway 419' · Poaceae
Also called: Tifway 419, Tif 419, Hybrid bermuda, Tifway bermudagrass
Hybrid bermuda grass 'Tifway 419' (Cynodon dactylon x Cynodon transvaalensis 'Tifway 419') is a moderate-water turf well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun, with a fast growth rate. Expect n/a (no functional seedheads) blooms Sterile - produces no viable seed.
Hybrid bermuda grass 'Tifway 419' at a glance
- Water use
- Moderate (established)
- Sun
- Full sun (poor shade tolerance)
- Mature size
- Turf height 0.5-1.5 in mowed; spreads by stolons/rhizomes
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Bloom
- N/A (no functional seedheads), Sterile - produces no viable seed
- Cold hardiness
- Very heat- and wear-tolerant; goes dormant and browns with cold/frost below ~55-60 F, regreening in spring. Winter-hardy in Tucson.
- Soil
- Adaptable to most well-drained desert soils; tolerates alkalinity and moderate salinity.
- Native range
- Sterile man-made hybrid (parents native to Africa); developed at Tifton, Georgia.
- Best used as
- High-quality lawns, Golf fairways/tees, Sports fields, Parks
- Wildlife
- Minimal wildlife value; ornamental/functional turf.
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic as turf; bermuda pollen is allergenic (this hybrid is sterile and low-pollen, an advantage for allergy sufferers).
How to grow Hybrid bermuda grass 'Tifway 419' in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Warm-season grass: deep, infrequent irrigation totaling about 1-2 in/week in peak summer; water to wet the top 6-10 in of soil and let it dry between cycles. Reduce sharply in fall and through winter dormancy.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Higher fertility demand than common bermuda; apply nitrogen monthly during active growth (April-Sept), about 0.75-1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft, plus iron for color. Do not feed dormant turf.
Pruning & care
Mow low and frequently at 0.5-1.5 in, ideally with a reel mower, for the dense fine-textured carpet it is known for; dethatch/scalp in spring and before fall overseeding.
Notes
Sterile hybrid that must be established from sod or sprigs (no seed). Finer, denser, and more uniform than common bermuda with better wear tolerance, making it the premium low-desert lawn and sports turf. Browns in winter unless overseeded with perennial ryegrass.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension (Turfgrass publications); AMWUA; West Coast Turf / Evergreen Turf (Arizona sod growers)