St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10, sensitive to heavy frost and freezing temperatures, goes dormant in cooler zones.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Panicae
Variety / Cultivar
'Floratam' (most common wide-bladed cultivar with good color and cold sensitivity) or 'Palmetto'
About This Grass
Forms a lush, dense, coarse-textured turf with broad, flat blades. Color ranges from medium to dark blue-green. Unmowed height can reach 6-12 inches, but typically maintained at 2.5-4 inches. Produces flattened seed spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are coarse, greater than 4mm in width, flat, with rounded tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. The ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent. The collar region is continuous and narrow.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system spreading from thick stolons. Moderate thatch-forming tendency, medium-fast establishment from plugs or sod, forms a dense sod layer.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the Gulf of Mexico region, coastal areas of the Americas, and parts of Africa; widely cultivated in the southern United States and tropical regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreading aggressively via above-ground runners called stolons) forming a thick, coarse turf mat
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (most shade-tolerant of the warm-season grasses, needing at least 4 hours of direct sun). High water needs during dry spells; moderate-to-low drought tolerance, entering dormancy quickly under severe drought.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches using a rotary mower with sharp blades to avoid tearing the coarse leaves. High fertilizer needs (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually). Medium-high maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Low to moderate traffic and wear tolerance due to succulent stolons. Moderate salt tolerance (good for coastal areas). Poor cold tolerance. Recovers moderately well from damage if growing conditions are optimal.
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated across many coastal regions, provides minor habitat for ground-nesting insects and small wildlife, excellent for soil stabilization and erosion control on sandy coastal soils, widely used in residential coastal lawns.