St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
‘Palmetto’ or ‘Floratam’
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, with low cold tolerance (damaged by frosts below 25°F). Not suitable for the transition zone or northern climates.
About This Grass
Forms a coarse-textured, dense, blue-green to dark green turf mat. Can grow up to 6-12 inches tall if unmoved, but maintained at 2-3 inches. Features flat blades and thickened stolons.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4-10mm wide), flat with rounded or blunt tips, folded in the bud (vernation), light green to blue-green color, membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, absent auricles, and a broad collar.
Root System
Moderate root depth (fibrous roots originating from stolon nodes), moderate establishment speed from sod or plugs, moderate thatch-forming tendency, forms a dense sod.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Mediterranean; widely cultivated in the Southern United States.
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 grasses (requires at least 4 hours of direct sun). High water needs during establishment, moderate drought tolerance (enters dormancy during severe drought), prefers moist, well-draining soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 4 inches high every 7-10 days during the growing season. Medium maintenance level requiring regular fertilization (2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year), periodic dethatching, and irrigation.
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance (poor recovery compared to Bermuda), susceptible to Take-All Root Rot and chinch bugs, excellent salt tolerance, good shade tolerance for a warm-season grass, poor winter color retention as it turns brown/dormant with the first frost.
Ecological Information
Introduced and widely cultivated in coastal regions; provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on sandy coastal soils; generally planted as a monoculture turf and rarely used in native prairie restoration.