Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is a widely used warm-season turf, highly valued for its tolerance to heat and traffic. While this grass is often established using vegetative means like sod or plugs, many varieties are grown from seed. The seed itself is extremely small and easily overlooked, making its visual characteristics different from the grass it produces. Understanding the specific appearance of the seed helps consumers know exactly what they are purchasing and sowing.
The Physical Description of Raw Seed
The individual seed typically measures less than a tenth of an inch in length, weighing between 0.23 and 0.36 milligrams. This tiny scale means that a single pound of common Bermuda grass seed can contain over a million individual seeds, giving it an almost powder-like nature when viewed in bulk.
The seed is generally ovoid or egg-shaped, often described as oblong. When mature and harvested in its raw state, the color is naturally light tan, straw-colored, or a pale yellow-brown. Seeds are sold as either “hulled” or “unhulled,” referring to the removal of the protective outer casing. Unhulled seed retains a thin, papery covering, while hulled seed has this layer mechanically removed, resulting in a smoother texture.
Appearance Changes from Coatings and Blends
Most commercially sold Bermuda grass seed undergoes processing that alters its visual look compared to the raw form. Companies commonly apply a coating, typically composed of clay-based materials, polymers, and beneficial additives. This coating increases the seed’s size, making it easier to see and handle during sowing.
The most noticeable change is the color, as coatings are often dyed bright shades to contrast with the soil, aiding uniform application. Consumers frequently encounter coated Bermuda seed that is vivid blue, bright green, or pink. The coating adds significant bulk, sometimes accounting for up to 50% of the product’s total weight.
Bermuda grass is also frequently sold in blends or mixtures, which further changes the appearance. A blend may contain multiple improved Bermuda varieties, which are similar in size and shape. If the Bermuda is mixed with a cool-season cover crop, such as annual ryegrass, the mixture will contain two distinct sizes and shapes, as ryegrass seed is considerably larger and more oblong than the coated Bermuda seed.
Identifying the Seed Head on the Plant
The structure that produces the raw Bermuda seed is a distinctive part of the mature grass plant. This inflorescence, or seed head, is characterized by several spikes radiating from a central point, often described as resembling a bird’s foot or a small umbrella. Common varieties typically develop between three and nine finger-like spikes at the top of a stalk.
The actual seeds develop along the sides of these spikes, known as spikelets. When the plant is actively producing seed, the head may appear purple-green. As the seed matures, the structure dries to a pale, straw color. If a lawn is regularly mowed while producing seed heads, the exposed stalks can create a noticeable white haze across the turf surface.