St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto' (typical coarse-textured warm-season cultivars)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, sensitive to heavy frosts and freezing temperatures, enters winter dormancy in cooler portions of its range.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, coarse-textured turf with a distinct blue-green to bright green color. Stems are flat and thick, with broad blades growing up to 6-12 inches if unmowed, maintaining a dense carpet when mowed between 2.5 and 4 inches.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with wide blades (typically 4-10 mm wide), flat shape, rounded or blunt tips, rolled vernation in the bud, prominent veins, short membranous ligule, and absent or very small auricles.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Establishes relatively quickly from sod or plugs, forms a thick thatch layer over time, and has moderate drought tolerance with good recovery via stolons.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and tropical regions worldwide; well-adapted to the southern United States and tropical/subtropical climates.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively via above-ground runners (stolons) to form a thick, coarse turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses). Needs moderate to high moisture, with regular watering required during dry periods. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at a height of 2.5 to 4 inches using rotary mowers with sharp blades. Moderate to high maintenance level, requiring regular fertilization (2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually), frequent watering, and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Fair to poor traffic/wear tolerance (susceptible to damage from heavy foot traffic due to succulent stolons), susceptible to chinch bugs and take-all root rot, excellent salt tolerance, good shade tolerance for a warm-season grass.
Ecological Information
Introduced and widely cultivated across southern coastal landscapes. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control in sandy coastal soils. Serves limited wildlife value compared to native prairies, but creates dense ground cover that prevents weed invasion.