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. Excellent heat tolerance, poor cold tolerance (suffers freeze damage below 25°F), goes dormant and turns straw-colored in winter in cooler parts of its range.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
Common St. Augustine / 'Palmetto' or 'Floratam' variants
About This Grass
Forms a dense, coarse-textured turf with broad, flat blades and blunt tips. Light to dark blue-green color. When left unmowed, it can grow up to 6 to 12 inches tall. Produces flat, spike-like seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide, typically 6-10mm), flat shape with blunt or rounded tips, folded vernation in the bud, light green to blue-green color. Smooth texture with prominent midvein. Ligule is a fringe of hairs, auricles absent, continuous flat collar.
Root System
Moderate root depth with a fibrous root system anchored by vigorous thick stolons. Moderate thatch-forming tendency, fast establishment from plugs or sod, forms a dense sod that recovers well from wear via stolon growth.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and tropical regions worldwide. Well-adapted to warm, humid coastal climates.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous (spreading aggressively via above-ground runners or stolons), forming a thick, coarse, carpet-like mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than most warm-season grasses). Needs regular watering and moist soils; moderate drought tolerance by entering dormancy during severe dry spells. Prefers well-drained soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height is 2.5 to 4 inches. Mowing frequency is weekly during the growing season. High nitrogen fertilizer requirements (4-6 lbs N per 1000 sq ft annually). Requires periodic dethatching due to heavy stolon production. Medium-high maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance compared to other warm-season turfgrasses, good salt tolerance making it ideal for coastal areas. Moderate wear tolerance, susceptible to chinch bugs and take-all root rot, forms a dense barrier that crowds out many weeds.
Ecological Information
Introduced/cultivated widely in warm regions; provides good soil stabilization and erosion control on coastal soils. Offers limited wildlife food value due to tough blades, but provides ground cover and habitat for small insects and reptiles.