TifTuf and Tifway 419 are both bermudagrass varieties, but they are not interchangeable. In University of Georgia testing, TifTuf uses 38% less water than Tifway while keeping better turf quality, and UGA says TifTuf "thrives in light ranging from full sun to partial shade" and is more shade tolerant than the other Bermuda varieties UGA tested in its area. TifTuf comes out of the University of Georgia's Tifton Campus turfgrass breeding program; Tifway is the older, widely planted variety UGA tested it against.
Both are solid choices. The right one depends on how much you want to water and how much shade your yard gets.
Tifway 419: the comparison standard
Tifway 419 is the long-planted bermudagrass that University of Georgia researchers use as the benchmark when testing newer varieties like TifTuf.
TifTuf: bred for less water and more shade tolerance
TifTuf is a newer release out of the University of Georgia's Tifton Campus turfgrass breeding program. In UGA's own tests, "TifTuf uses 38 percent less water than Tifway Bermuda grass while maintaining better turf quality." UGA also says TifTuf "thrives in light ranging from full sun to partial shade" and is "more shade tolerant than any of the other Bermuda grass varieties" used in that testing, which is part of why it has become popular with homeowners who want a lower-water, more shade-tolerant lawn.
How to decide
- If minimizing watering is the priority, TifTuf used 38% less water than Tifway in UGA's testing, with better turf quality.
- If your yard has some shade, TifTuf is the better-tested option of the two here; see our guide to Bermuda grass varieties for other shade considerations.
- If you want the variety UGA uses as its own benchmark, Tifway 419 is that standard.
Availability and pricing
Variety availability depends on your market and changes over time, so check your ZIP code for what is offered where you live; do not assume a specific variety is in stock everywhere we deliver. For how Bermuda stacks up against other common turf types, see Bermuda grass vs. St. Augustine. Because grass pricing varies by market and changes often, we never post a flat per-pallet rate; our guide on how much sod costs explains how pricing works and points you to a live quote.
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