St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Likely 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto' based on blade width and regional popularity; however, specific cultivar is difficult to confirm without floral structure or stolon node analysis.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8-11; poor cold tolerance; enters dormancy and turns brown when soil temperatures drop below 55°F; highly heat tolerant.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, low-growing turfgrass with a blue-green to dark green color. It produces thick, fleshy stolons that root at the nodes. When left unmowed, it can reach 8-12 inches; maintained, it forms a thick sod with a characteristic coarse appearance. Seed heads are inconspicuous, thickened spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Blade width is coarse (8-10mm); shape is flat; tip is markedly rounded or blunt; color is medium to dark green; vernation is folded in the bud; ligule is a short fringe of hairs; auricles are absent; collar region is constricted and narrow.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from stolon nodes; high thatch-forming tendency; establishment speed is moderate to fast via sod or plugs; good wear recovery due to stolon growth.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Western Africa; highly adapted to humid subtropical and tropical environments.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreads via thick, creeping above-ground runners/stolons); forms a dense, carpet-like mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season grasses); requires at least 4-6 hours of sun; high watering needs; moderate drought tolerance but wilts noticeably (curling blades) during dry spells; thrives in sandy or loamy soils with pH 5.0 to 8.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Recommended mowing height is 2.5 to 4.0 inches; frequency is weekly during peak growth; fertilization of 2-5 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually; requires periodic dethatching and aeration; maintenance level is medium to high.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass; high salt tolerance (ideal for coastal areas); poor traffic tolerance compared to Bermuda; susceptible to Chinch Bugs and Large Patch (Rhizoctonia).
Ecological Information
Introduced/Naturalized in the US; provides soil stabilization in coastal zones; low wildlife food value but provides cover; can be invasive in non-native wetland margins; often grown as a monoculture but sometimes mixed with Clover in low-input settings.