St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10. Sensitive to freezing temperatures, goes dormant in winter in cooler zones, turns brown with frost.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Variety / Cultivar
Floratam (coarse texture, bright green color, susceptible to shade)
About This Grass
Forms a thick, lush, carpet-like turf with coarse, flat blades. Color ranges from blue-green to deep emerald green. Can grow tall if unmowed, but maintained lawns are kept low. Produces a flat, spike-like seed head at maturity.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with wide blades (greater than 4mm), flat shape, blunt or rounded tips, folded vernation in the bud, smooth texture with prominent midrib, membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, and absent or very small auricles.
Root System
Moderate depth fibrous root system spreading from creeping stolons. Forms a moderate amount of thatch, establishes quickly from sod or plugs, and provides good sod density for erosion control.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Mediterranean; widely cultivated in warm, humid coastal regions globally, especially the Southern United States.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading rapidly via robust above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse-textured turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade tolerant than many warm-season grasses). High watering needs for optimal appearance, moderate drought tolerance (enters dormancy during severe droughts), prefers well-draining soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 4 inches using a rotary mower. High maintenance level requiring regular fertilization (2 to 4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year), frequent watering, and periodic dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Low traffic and wear tolerance compared to Bermuda or Zoysia, moderate salt tolerance, poor cold tolerance, susceptible to chinch bugs and take-all root rot, excellent for coastal home lawns.
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated species in many regions, provides limited wildlife habitat compared to native prairie grasses, excellent for soil stabilization and erosion control on coastal properties.