St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. Low cold tolerance and susceptible to frost damage and winter dormancy discoloration.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Panicae
Variety / Cultivar
'Floratam' (most common wide-bladed cultivar with good drought and insect tolerance)
About This Grass
Forms a coarse-textured, dense, blue-green to dark green turf mat. Leaf blades are wide and blunt-tipped. Can grow up to 6-12 inches if left unmowed, but typically maintained at 2.5-4 inches. Produces flat, spike-like seed heads at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with wide blades (>4mm), typically flat with rounded or blunt tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs. Auricles are absent. Distinctive collar region.
Root System
Shallow to moderate fibrous root system arising from stolon nodes. Forms a moderate amount of thatch. Establishes rapidly from sod or plugs but has lower drought tolerance compared to Bermuda grass due to shallow roots.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and coastal areas worldwide; widely cultivated in the Southern United States.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading rapidly via thick, flat above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse-textured turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade; notably more shade-tolerant than most other warm-season grasses. Needs regular watering (1 inch per week) and moderate drought tolerance, going dormant under severe drought.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches using a rotary mower. High maintenance level requiring regular fertilization (2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), frequent watering, and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance with fair recovery via stolons. Susceptible to chinch bugs, take-all root rot, and brown patch. Excellent salt tolerance, making it ideal for coastal lawns. Good shade tolerance for a warm-season grass.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many non-native coastal regions. Provides low wildlife value compared to native grasses. Excellent for soil stabilization and erosion control in coastal sandy soils. Often grown as a monoculture turf.