Celebration Hybrid™ Bermudagrass, the first release from the “Celebration X” breeding program at Mississippi State University, officially launched in September 2022. After several years in the market, the grass is gaining recognition for its quality and performance. As more installations appear across golf courses and sports facilities, industry professionals are learning that its management differs greatly from traditional Celebration Bermudagrass®.
According to Mark Kann, director of Florida operations at Sod Solutions, educating end users about the grass is becoming increasingly important. “The biggest thing people need to understand is that it’s not Celebration and it shouldn’t be treated exactly the same. It performs at a higher level with fewer inputs.”
A Different Type of Celebration
Celebration Hybrid was developed as a cross between Celebration Bermudagrass and an African bermudagrass. The breeding resulted in several improved traits including aggressive lateral growth, strong rooting and a finer leaf texture.
The grass produces strong “carrot-like” roots while maintaining a dense canopy and refined appearance. Its lateral growth habit also helps it establish and fill in quickly both on the farm and after installation. “After installation, it is really cool to see how quickly the seams disappear with Celebration Hybrid. Its lateral growth is amazing!” Kann said.
From a sod production standpoint, that growth characteristic is also noticeable. “It fills in really quickly on top after harvesting,” Kann said. “In some cases we’re seeing it fill back in across the ground within two weeks.”
Early Performance in the Field
One trait that continues to stand out across installations is the grass’s recovery. Kann said golf superintendents and field managers have repeatedly reported quick rebound after aerification, verticutting and heavy traffic. “We’re consistently seeing how fast it recovers,” he said.
The Pines Course at Royal Poinciana Golf Club in Florida, one of the first courses to install Celebration Hybrid, has demonstrated that recovery firsthand. There, Matt Taylor, director of golf course operations and facilities at the 36-hole club in Naples, has been with the club since 2000. The course installed Celebration Hybrid from Collier Family Farms in the summer of 2025. Taylor has yet to hear any negative comments from players and noted no signs of stress or seedheads, even at 90 degrees.
“This grass is not Celebration, it is really unique. It has a finer textured and darker green color. It requires considerably less nitrogen and develops a deeper root system than any other grass I have ever seen," Taylor said. “We need to rewrite the playbook. The only thing the same about the grass is the Celebration name. I think with the proper management plan, Hybrid is going to be a show stopper.”
He added it has shown quick recovery and establishment, attributing that performance to its root structure. Taylor expressed confidence in the grass moving forward. “There is nothing that makes me nervous about this grass. I’m super excited for the future and I see great potential for this grass.”
Rethinking Fertility Programs
Much of the industry testing has taken place where Celebration Hybrid is planted alongside other bermudagrasses. Because those areas are often treated as a single management zone, the Hybrid sometimes receives fertility and plant growth regulator (PGR) programs designed for more vertical growing bermudagrasses.
“Unfortunately, a lot of the testing has been done adjacent to other bermudas that require more fertility,” Kann said. “They’re often treated together so the Hybrid is getting higher fertilizer and PGR rates than it is suited for.”
He explained the grass responds well to fertilizer but typically requires less because of its growth habit. Kann also recommends regular grooming and light verticutting to manage the dense canopy. Instead of heavier granular applications, he suggests a spoon-feeding approach with smaller nitrogen applications.
At Royal Poinciana, Taylor said he initially treated Hybrid like Celebration but quickly adjusted his approach after finding it responded at a 2-ounce rate compared to higher rates used on Celebration.
“Time and time again when too much fertility goes out it can have a negative effect on any grass. That’s something we want people to be aware of,” Kann said. “It’s still a relatively new grass and we want to help provide the information to end-users so they can better manage Celebration Hybrid for their course or field.”
Star Turf Farms has been producing Celebration Hybrid for several years in Florida, supplying golf courses and sports facilities as adoption of the variety continues to grow.
“Our customers who’ve gotten Celebration Hybrid have been thrilled with its performance and its minimal maintenance requirements,” said Jon Lallement of Star Turf Farms. “Everyone will like that it has a darker green color, requires less mowing and is more dense than regular Celebration but is still part of the Celebration family that has been such a key variety to the turfgrass industry for years.
Management Insights
As Celebration Hybrid expands into more markets, turfgrass professionals are refining best management practices through real-world use. Early feedback shows the grass can maintain high quality when managed appropriately. “We’re continuing to see how well Celebration Hybrid performs when it’s managed the way it wants to be managed,” Kann said.
This article was written by Cecilia Johnson.
