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. Has poor cold tolerance and goes dormant or suffers damage when temperatures drop below freezing.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
‘Floratam’ - A popular coarse-textured cultivar known for its bright blue-green color and resistance to St. Augustine Decline (SAD) virus.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, lush, coarse-textured turf with flat, broad blades and visible flattened stolons. Typical height when maintained is 2.5 to 3 inches, but can grow up to 6 inches or more if left unmowed. Color ranges from light to dark blue-green during the growing season and turns brown/straw-colored when dormant in cooler winter months.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades, typically 4-10 mm wide, flat with rounded or obtuse tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. The ligule is a fringe of hairs, and auricles are absent. The collar region is continuous and often broad.
Root System
Moderate to shallow fibrous root system spreading primarily via thick stolons. Forms a dense, spongy sod and has a moderate to high tendency to produce thatch if over-fertilized.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean. Widely cultivated in the southeastern United States, coastal California, Hawaii, and tropical regions worldwide.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (aggressive above-ground runners) forming a thick, coarse, carpet-like turf.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade; it is one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season turfgrasses, requiring a minimum of 4 hours of direct sunlight. High water needs for best appearance, though it has moderate drought tolerance by entering dormancy during dry spells.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 2.5 to 4 inches using a sharp rotary mower to prevent tearing the wide blades. High maintenance level requiring regular irrigation, fertilization (2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Moderate wear tolerance with rapid recovery via stolons, but less traffic-tolerant than Bermuda or Zoysia. Susceptible to chinch bugs, sod webworms, and fungal diseases like Take-All Root Rot and Brown Patch. Excellent salt tolerance, making it ideal for coastal areas.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many non-native regions. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control in coastal lawns. Offers limited wildlife value primarily as ground cover, but can crowd out invasive weeds effectively due to its dense mat-forming growth habit.