St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Panicae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Coastal Erosion Control
Variety / Cultivar
Commonly 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto', known for coarse texture and blue-green color
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, sensitive to heavy frost and cold temperatures, enters winter dormancy in cooler regions
About This Grass
Forms a dense, carpet-like turf with coarse, broad blades, bright to bluish-green color, and upright flowering stems bearing flattened spikelets
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (>4mm), flat shape, rounded to bluntly pointed tips, light to bluish-green color, folded vernation in the bud, prominent midrib, membranous ligule, and absent auricles
Root System
Moderate depth fibrous root system originating from stolon nodes, forms moderate thatch, establishes relatively quickly from sod or plugs
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and tropical regions worldwide
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively via above-ground runners to form a thick, coarse turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to moderate shade tolerance (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses), high water needs, moderate drought tolerance with dormancy during extended dry periods
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 4 inches, high frequency during growing season, high nitrogen fertilizer requirement, requires periodic dethatching due to rapid stolon production
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance, poor cold tolerance, good salt tolerance making it popular in coastal areas, moderate shade tolerance compared to other warm-season turfgrasses
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated widely in warm coastal regions, provides moderate wildlife cover, excellent for coastal soil stabilization and erosion control, generally grown as a monoculture