St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4
Grass Family
Poaceae, Subfamily Panicoideae, Tribe Paniceae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Common or Raleigh (likely based on color and blade width shown)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 8-11; poor cold tolerance; enters dormant tan color when temperatures drop below 55°F; high heat and salt tolerance.
About This Grass
A coarse-textured, low-growing turfgrass with a creeping growth habit. It is medium to dark green and forms a thick, spongy sod. Unmowed, it can reach 6-12 inches; seed heads are inconspicuous, appearing as a flattened spike (rachis) with embedded seeds.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide), flat, with a distinctly rounded or 'boat-shaped' tip; vernation is folded in the bud; color is bright to medium green; ligule is a fringe of short hairs; auricles are absent; collar is constricted.
Root System
Fibrous and moderately deep; primarily spreads via thick stolons that root at the nodes. It produces a significant thatch layer and has slow establishment from seed (usually sodded or plugged).
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Western Africa; common in the Southern US
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous; spreads aggressively via above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, thick mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Partial sun to full sun; one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season grasses (requires 4-5 hours); high water needs with moderate drought tolerance; prefers well-drained, fertile soils with pH 5.0 to 8.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal height 2.5 to 4.0 inches; weekly mowing; 2-4 lbs Nitrogen per 1000 sq ft per year; high maintenance due to water and pest needs; requires periodic vertical mowing to manage thatch.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance for a warm-season grass; high salt tolerance for coastal areas; moderate wear tolerance but slow to recover from heavy traffic; susceptible to Chinch Bugs and Large Patch disease.
Ecological Information
Naturalized in coastal dunes; provides soil stabilization in sandy regions; can be invasive in non-native wetland margins; often used as a mono-stand for lawngrass but sometimes found with clover (as seen in image).