Which type of grass survives the longest without water? You plant four varieties in separate cups: - Rye grass - Bent grass - Bermuda grass - Centipede grass You water them at first. Then you stop and track survival for one month. Bermuda grass holds up the best throughout the experiment. Centipede grass survives but grows unevenly. Rye grass starts strong but wilts in the fourth week. Bent grass dies within a week of sprouting.