St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Floratam
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. High heat tolerance, poor cold tolerance (susceptible to frost damage and enters winter dormancy in cooler parts of its range).
About This Grass
Forms a lush, dense, blue-green to dark green turf with coarse texture. Grows low to the ground with broad leaf blades, reaching several inches if unmowed. Produces a flattened spike-like seed head at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse width (>5mm), flat shape, blunt or rounded tips, blue-green to bright green color, folded vernation in the bud, prominent midvein, short membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, absent auricles, and continuous broad collar region.
Root System
Moderate depth fibrous root system with aggressive stolons. Moderate thatch-forming tendency, fast establishment from plugs or sod, forms a very thick sod that helps recover from wear slowly.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, widely cultivated in the southeastern United States and warm coastal regions worldwide.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively via thick above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse-textured mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most warm-season grasses); needs regular watering (approx. 1 inch per week) and has moderate drought tolerance, entering dormancy during severe dry spells. Prefers well-drained soils with pH 6.0 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 2.5 to 4.0 inches. Requires frequent mowing during peak growing season. Fertilization of 2 to 4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually. Medium maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Moderate traffic tolerance, susceptible to chinch bugs, take-all root rot, and sod webworms. Good salt tolerance, excellent shade tolerance compared to other warm-season turfgrasses, poor cold hardiness.
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated status in many regions, provides ground cover and soil stabilization against erosion, offers limited wildlife value primarily as cover, can become invasive in tropical wetland edges.