St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. Highly sensitive to freezing temperatures and enters winter dormancy in cooler areas of its range.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Variety / Cultivar
'Floratam' (a common coarse-textured cultivar known for its bright green color and disease resistance)
About This Grass
Forms a dense, carpet-like turf with coarse, flat blades and a bright blue-green to dark green color. Height ranges from 1 to 3 inches when maintained as a lawn, but can grow taller if left unmowed. Produces flat, spike-like seed heads on terminal stalks.
Blade Characteristics
Blades are broad (typically 4-10 mm), flat, with blunt or rounded tips. Vernation is folded in the bud. Ligule is a fringe of hairs. Auricles are absent. The collar region is continuous.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons. Establishes quickly from sod, forms a thick thatch layer over time, and has fair drought tolerance with quick recovery when water is supplied.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the Gulf of Mexico region, coastal areas of the southeastern United States, and the Caribbean; well-adapted to warm, humid tropical and subtropical climates worldwide.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading rapidly via robust above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses). Needs regular watering (about 1 inch of water per week) and thrives in moist, well-draining soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at a height of 2.5 to 4 inches every 7-10 days. Requires moderate to high fertility (2 to 4 lbs N per 1,000 sq ft per year). Regular dethatching and occasional aeration are beneficial due to heavy stolon and thatch accumulation. Maintenance level is medium-high.
Special Characteristics
Good shade tolerance for a warm-season grass, moderate salt tolerance, poor wear tolerance compared to Bermuda or Zoysia, susceptible to chinch bugs and Take-All Root Rot, forms an effective barrier against weeds when dense.
Ecological Information
Introduced and naturalized in many tropical regions. Provides low-to-moderate wildlife value primarily as ground cover. Excellent for erosion control on coastal sandy soils due to its dense stolon network.