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' (most common widely adapted cultivar with coarse texture and blue-green color)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, extending into warm parts of Zone 7. Highly sensitive to freezing temperatures and enters winter dormancy in cooler portions of its range.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, coarse-textured turf with broad, flat blades. Typically maintained at heights between 2.5 and 4 inches. Color ranges from bright apple green to deep blue-green depending on the variety and fertilization. When left unmowed, it produces flat, spike-like seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are coarse, typically 4-10 mm in width, flat, with rounded or obtuse tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs. Auricles are absent. The collar region is continuous, sometimes broad and whitish.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Establishes relatively quickly from sod or plugs. Forms a moderate amount of thatch if over-fertilized.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and coastal areas worldwide; thrives in warm, humid coastal climates.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreads aggressively via above-ground runners or stolons), forming a thick, coarse, carpet-like sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade; possesses the best shade tolerance among warm-season turfgrasses. High water needs during active growth periods; moderate drought tolerance by entering dormancy during severe dry spells. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Maintain mowing height between 2.5 and 3.5 inches using sharp mower blades to avoid tearing the coarse leaves. Fertilization of 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually. Medium to high maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Fair to moderate wear tolerance (does not recover from heavy traffic as quickly as Bermuda or Zoysia), poor cold tolerance, excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass, good salt tolerance making it ideal for coastal properties.
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized in coastal warm regions. Provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on coastal sandy soils. High value for residential lawns and urban wildlife cover, though generally grown as a managed monoculture.