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. Highly sensitive to freezing temperatures and goes dormant (turning brown) in the cooler parts of its range.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Variety / Cultivar
'Palmetto' St. Augustine (known for excellent shade tolerance and semi-dwarf growth habit)
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, dense, and lush turfgrass with a bright green to blue-green color. Forms a thick carpet that can grow up to 6-12 inches tall if unmoved, but is typically maintained at 2.5 to 4 inches. Produces flat, spike-like seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are broad and coarse (greater than 5mm wide), flat with blunt, rounded tips. Folded in the bud (vernation). The ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent. The collar region is continuous.
Root System
Moderate to deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Spreads quickly via stolons, forms a moderately thick thatch layer, and establishes fairly rapidly from sod.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the Gulf of Mexico region, coastal areas of the Americas, and parts of Africa; thrives in warm, humid tropical and subtropical climates.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively by thick, flat above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Performs best in full sun but has the best shade tolerance among warm-season turfgrasses (minimum 4 hours of direct sunlight). Requires regular watering, prefers moist soils, and has moderate drought tolerance (enters dormancy during severe dry spells). Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches using a sharp rotary mower. High maintenance requirement with regular fertilization (2 to 4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year), frequent watering, and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Good traffic and wear tolerance though slower to recover than Bermuda grass. Moderate shade and salt tolerance, making it popular for coastal regions. Poor cold tolerance. Excellent erosion control due to dense matting.
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated widely in coastal and southern regions. Provides basic urban wildlife habitat and excellent soil stabilization/erosion control along coastal properties. Forms dense monocultures that naturally crowd out many weeds when healthy.