St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Commonly 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto', known for coarse texture and blue-green color
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10; poor cold tolerance, goes dormant and can suffer winter kill below freezing; excellent for warm coastal and southern regions
About This Grass
Coarse-textured, low-growing turfgrass with broad flat blades and a bright green to blue-green color. Forms a dense, spongy sod. Unmowed height can reach 6 to 12 inches, but maintained much lower. Seed heads are flattened spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide), flat shape with rounded or blunt tips, folded in the bud (vernation), smooth texture with prominent midveins, ligule is a fringe of hairs, collar is broad and continuous, auricles absent
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from stolon nodes; moderate to high thatch tendency; establishes quickly from sod or plugs; good wear recovery through stolon growth
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Mediterranean; widely cultivated in warm, humid coastal areas
Growth Habit
Aggressively stoloniferous, spreading by above-ground runners (stolons) to form a thick, dense turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most warm-season grasses); high water needs for optimal appearance, moderate drought tolerance entering dormancy during severe dry spells; prefers well-drained sandy or loam soils with pH 6.0-7.5
Mowing & Maintenance
Mowing height 2.5 to 4 inches; mow weekly during active growing season; fertilization 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year; high maintenance level due to susceptibility to thatch and pests
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance (less than Bermuda or Zoysia); susceptible to chinch bugs, sod webworms, and Take-All Root Rot; excellent salt tolerance; poor cold tolerance; moderate shade tolerance for a warm-season grass
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized in warm coastal regions; provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on sandy coastal soils; low wildlife food value but provides cover; forms monoculture lawns effectively