St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass, Coastal Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, sensitive to severe cold and frosts which induce winter dormancy and yellowing; does not tolerate freezing temperatures well
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
'Palmetto' St. Augustine (noted for improved shade tolerance and semi-dwarf growth)
About This Grass
Forms a dense, coarse-textured lawn with a vibrant blue-green to dark green color. When unmowed, it can grow up to 6-12 inches tall with flat, branching seed spikes. It creates a very tight, spongy mat that easily crowds out weeds.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide, typically 8-10mm), flat shape, blunt/rounded tip, blue-green to dark green color, folded vernation in the bud, prominent veins, with a short membranous ligule and absent or rudimentary auricles
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from stolon nodes; establishes quickly from sod, moderate-to-high thatch-forming tendency, forms a dense sod that recovers reasonably well from wear via vigorous above-ground stolon growth
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean, and coastal areas worldwide; thrives in USDA zones 8-10
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreads aggressively via above-ground runners or stolons), forming a thick, coarse, carpet-like turf
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses); requires regular watering (1 inch per week), moderate-to-good drought tolerance by entering dormancy during extreme dry spells, prefers moist, fertile, well-draining soils with a pH between 6.0 and 7.5
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 3.5 inches height every 7-14 days; requires medium-to-high maintenance, fertilization at 2-4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually, regular dethatching and aeration due to thick stolon mat buildup
Special Characteristics
Good shade and salt tolerance, making it popular in coastal regions; moderate traffic tolerance, excellent ability to crowd out weeds, susceptible to chinch bugs, sod webworms, and large patch disease
Ecological Information
Introduced and widely cultivated in warm coastal regions; provides good soil stabilization on slopes and sandy coastal soils; low invasive potential outside cultivated lawns, though it can spread into adjacent natural areas in frost-free climates