St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. Highly sensitive to cold and enters dormancy (turning brown) with frost. Poor cold tolerance compared to other warm-season grasses.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Panicae
Variety / Cultivar
'Palmetto' or 'Floratam' St. Augustine Grass
About This Grass
Forms a lush, dense, carpet-like turf with coarse-textured, flat blades. Bright blue-green to dark green color. When unmowed, it can grow up to 6 to 12 inches high, but is typically maintained much lower. Produces flat, spike-like seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with wide blades (>4mm), typically 6 to 10mm wide. Flat shape with rounded, blunt tips. Rolled in the bud (vernation). Bright to dark green color. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, auricles are absent, and the collar is continuous.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Establishes relatively quickly from sod, forms a dense sod layer, and has a moderate to high tendency to produce thatch.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the Gulf of Mexico region, coastal areas of the southeastern United States, and the Caribbean. Thrives in warm, humid subtropical and tropical climates.
Growth Habit
Aggressively stoloniferous, forming a thick, coarse, dense turf mat by spreading via above-ground runners (stolons).
Sunlight & Water Needs
Performs best in full sun, but is the most shade-tolerant of the warm-season turfgrasses (tolerates partial to moderate shade). Requires regular moisture; moderate to high watering needs and moderate drought tolerance, going into dormancy under severe drought.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches. Mowed weekly during the active growing season. High fertilizer requirements (4 to 6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year). Requires regular dethatching and aeration due to thick stolon growth. High maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance, poor recovery from heavy traffic due to stolon-based spread. Susceptible to chinch bugs, sod webworms, and diseases like Take-All Root Rot and Brown Patch. Good salt tolerance, making it popular in coastal regions.
Ecological Information
Introduced and widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control in coastal sandy soils. Low invasive tendency outside of managed lawns, though stolons can creep into adjacent flower beds.