St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, Panicoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Likely 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto' based on broad blade width and deep green color
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11; poor cold tolerance; enters dormancy and turns brown when soil temperatures drop below 55°F.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, low-growing turfgrass with a vibrant deep green color. It maintains a dense carpet-like appearance and produces thick, creeping stolons. Seed heads are spike-like racemes with seeds embedded in a flattened stem.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>8mm wide), flat, with a distinctively rounded/obtuse tip. Color is deep emerald green with a folded vernation. Ligule is a fringe of short hairs; auricles are absent.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system emerging from stolon nodes; high thatch-forming tendency; slow to moderate establishment from sod or plugs.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Mediterranean; thrives in tropical and subtropical climates
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreads via aggressive above-ground runners/stolons); forms a dense, coarse-textured mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to moderate shade (one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season grasses); requires approx. 1 inch of water per week; moderate drought tolerance but prefers moist, well-drained soils; pH 6.0-7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 2.5-4.0 inches; weekly mowing; requires 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft annually; high maintenance due to water and pest needs.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass; high salt tolerance (good for coastal areas); poor wear tolerance; susceptible to Large Patch and Chinch Bugs.
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in the US; provides soil stabilization in coastal sandy areas; low wildlife value; non-invasive in most managed landscapes but can crowd out native species in damp coastal fringes.