St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, with good heat tolerance and poor cold tolerance (susceptible to frost damage and winter dormancy).
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
'Floratam', known for its coarse texture and blue-green color
About This Grass
Forms a dense, coarse-textured, blue-green to dark green turf. Typical height when maintained is 2 to 3 inches. When unmowed, it can grow up to 6 to 12 inches tall. Produces flat, thick seed spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades wider than 4mm, flat shape, rounded or blunt tips, blue-green to green color, folded vernation in the bud, prominent ligule consisting of a fringe of hairs, and absent or very small auricles.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Establishes relatively fast from sod, moderate thatch tendency, forms a thick, spongy sod that provides good wear recovery.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the Gulf of Mexico region, coastal areas of the southeastern United States, the Caribbean, and tropical regions worldwide. Best adapted to warm, humid tropical and subtropical climates.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading rapidly via thick surface runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse mat-like turf.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Performs best in full sun but has the highest shade tolerance among warm-season turfgrasses. Requires moderate to high moisture, good drought tolerance through dormancy, thrives in high humidity and well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 inches. Mowing frequency is weekly during the active growing season. Fertilization needs are moderate to high (2 to 4 lbs N per 1,000 sq ft annually). Medium to high maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Good shade tolerance compared to other warm-season grasses, moderate salt tolerance (ideal for coastal regions), aggressive spreader that crowds out weeds, moderate wear tolerance, poor cold hardiness.
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated across tropical and subtropical coastal zones. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on coastal slopes, excellent weed-suppressive dense mat, limited wildlife forage value but offers cover for small ground-dwelling fauna.