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', a widely planted cultivar known for its coarse texture, blue-green color, and resistance to St. Augustine Decline (SAD) virus.
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. Highly sensitive to freezing temperatures and enters winter dormancy in cooler zones.
About This Grass
Forms a coarse, dense turf with flat blades and blunt tips. Unmowed height can reach 6 to 12 inches, but typically maintained at 2.5 to 4 inches. Color ranges from bright green to blue-green.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with wide blades (greater than 4mm), flat shape, blunt or rounded tips, folded vernation in the bud, continuous ligule of hairs, and absent auricles.
Root System
Moderate depth fibrous root system anchored by thick stolons. Moderate thatch tendency, fast establishment from sod or plugs, and moderate drought tolerance with good wear recovery via stolons.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and along the Mediterranean. Well-adapted to tropical and subtropical climates globally.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading aggressively via above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, thick turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than most warm-season grasses). Moderate to high watering needs, preferring moist, well-draining soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches using a sharp rotary mower. High maintenance level requiring regular fertilization, frequent watering, and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Good shade tolerance and salt tolerance, but poor cold tolerance. Moderate wear tolerance and quick recovery via stolons. Prone to chinch bugs and take-all root rot.
Ecological Information
Introduced in many non-native regions, excellent for coastal erosion control and soil stabilization, provides limited wildlife habitat due to dense managed turf nature.