St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
'Floratam' (broad, coarse blades with high light and warm climate preference)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, sensitive to freezing temperatures and prone to winter kill in colder zones.
About This Grass
Forms a thick, carpets-like turf with coarse texture and vibrant blue-green to dark green color. Grows relatively flat to the ground and can become spongy if thatch accumulates.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture (>4mm wide), flat blades with rounded tips, rolled in the bud (vernation), distinctive broad collar region, absent auricles, and a short membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Establishes quickly from sod, forms a dense sod, and exhibits moderate thatch-forming tendencies.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the Gulf of Mexico region, coastal areas of the Americas, and the Caribbean; widely cultivated in warm, humid coastal regions worldwide.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreading via aggressive above-ground runners or stolons)
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses). High water needs during active growth, moderate drought tolerance with dormancy during severe dry spells.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 4 inches height every 7-10 days. Medium to high maintenance level, requiring regular fertilization, occasional dethatching, and consistent watering.
Special Characteristics
Moderate traffic and wear tolerance, good salt tolerance (ideal for coastal regions), poor cold tolerance, susceptible to chinch bugs and take-all root rot, excellent at crowding out weeds when healthy.
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized in various tropical/subtropical regions; provides good soil stabilization and erosion control in coastal sandy soils; valued for residential lawns and commercial landscapes.