St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season perennial, C4 metabolism
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Likely 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto' based on blade width and coarse texture
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 8-11. Highly sensitive to cold; turns brown and goes dormant at the first frost. Poor tolerance for sustained freezing temperatures.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, low-growing grass with a lush, medium-to-dark green appearance. It maintains a very dense sod when well-watered. Seed heads are inconspicuous, appearing as short, thick spikes (racemes) with embedded seeds.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (8-10mm wide), flat to slightly folded across the midvein. Tips are distinctly rounded (boat-shaped or blunt). Vernation is folded in the bud; ligule is a fringe of short hairs; auricles are absent.
Root System
Fibrous and relatively shallow compared to Bermuda grass, but deep enough for moderate drought resistance. Rapidly creates a thick thatch layer and dense sod via its heavy stolon network.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Mediterranean; widely used in the Southern United States.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous; spreads aggressively above ground via thick, creeping runners that form a dense, carpet-like mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Partial shade to full sun (one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season grasses). Requires consistent moisture; has moderate drought tolerance but will wilt and go dormant without water.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height of 2.5 to 4.0 inches. Requires frequent mowing to manage thatch. Moderate to high maintenance; needs 3-5 lbs of Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass; high salt tolerance (good for coastal areas); low wear tolerance due to succulent stolons; susceptible to Chinch bugs and Gray Leaf Spot.
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized in many regions. Excellent for soil stabilization and erosion control. Can be invasive in sensitive wetland ecosystems due to aggressive stoloniferous spread.