St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8-10. Excellent heat tolerance, poor cold tolerance (susceptible to frost damage and enters winter dormancy in colder zones).
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
'Floratam' (most common wide-bladed cultivar with good drought tolerance)
About This Grass
Coarse-textured, dense, creeping warm-season turfgrass with a bright green to blue-green color. Forms a thick sod. Unmowed height reaches 6-12 inches, maintained at 2.5-4 inches. Produces flat, flattened seed stalks with a spike-like raceme.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide), flat shape, blunt or rounded tips, bright green to blue-green color, folded vernation in the bud, short membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, absent auricles, and a continuous collar region.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous roots originating from stolon nodes. Prone to thatch accumulation, moderate establishment speed from sod/plugs, moderate drought tolerance with good lateral recovery.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean; widely cultivated in the southern United States.
Growth Habit
Aggressively stoloniferous, forming a thick, coarse, mat-like turf via above-ground runners.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Performs best in full sun but has the best shade tolerance among warm-season grasses (tolerates partial shade). Requires regular watering (1 inch per week), moderate drought tolerance, prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height 2.5 to 4 inches using a rotary mower. Medium maintenance level requiring 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually, periodic dethatching, and occasional aeration.
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance (lower than Bermuda or Zoysia), susceptible to chinch bugs and large patch disease, excellent salt spray tolerance, moderate drought recovery, poor winter color retention.
Ecological Information
Introduced/naturalized in many tropical regions, provides minor wildlife cover, forms stable soil mats for coastal erosion control, generally not invasive except in specific tropical/subtropical wetland fringes.