St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Panicae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Commonly 'Floratam' or 'Palmetto', featuring a coarse texture and blue-green to dark green coloration
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10; sensitive to heavy frost and cold winters, going dormant and turning brown in lower zones
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, dense, rapidly spreading warm-season lawn grass with flat blades and a vibrant blue-green to dark green color. Maintains growth actively in warm temperatures and forms a thick, spongy turf mat when properly maintained
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades wider than 4mm with rounded, blunt tips, folded vernation in the bud, prominent veins, smooth texture, short membranous ligule, and absent or very small auricles
Root System
Moderate to shallow fibrous root system with aggressive above-ground stolons; establishes quickly from sod but has moderate drought tolerance due to shallow roots; forms a thick thatch layer over time
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and tropical regions worldwide; well-adapted to warm, humid coastal areas
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively via above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, carpet-like turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses); high watering needs for optimal appearance, with moderate drought tolerance entering dormancy during severe dry spells
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 2.5 to 4 inches using a sharp rotary mower to prevent tearing coarse blades; high maintenance level requiring regular fertilization, irrigation, and periodic dethatching
Special Characteristics
Good salt tolerance making it ideal for coastal properties; moderate wear tolerance with slower recovery than Bermuda grass; prone to chinch bugs and large patch disease
Ecological Information
Introduced and widely cultivated in coastal subtropical environments; provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on sandy coastal soils; low wildlife value compared to native prairie grasses