St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
'Palmetto' or 'Floratam' (commonly cultivated turfgrass cultivars)
Hardiness Zones
Thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, with high heat tolerance and low cold tolerance (susceptible to frost damage and winter dormancy).
About This Grass
Forms a lush, dense, blue-green to dark green turf with coarse-textured, flat blades. It grows aggressively via flat stolons and can tolerate low to moderate mowing heights, developing thick mats if left unmanaged.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse texture with wide blades (greater than 4mm), flat shape, blunt or rounded tips, folded vernation in the bud, prominent collar, and absent or very short ligule modified into a fringe of hairs.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from nodes along the stolons, creating a thick sod that establishes quickly from plugs or sod but has moderate drought tolerance.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions along the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean, and parts of Africa; widely cultivated in the southern United States.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading rapidly via thick surface runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse-textured sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun to partial shade (more shade-tolerant than many other warm-season grasses). Needs regular watering and moist soils, with moderate drought tolerance by entering dormancy during prolonged dry spells.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height ranges from 2.5 to 3.5 inches. Medium-high maintenance level requiring regular fertilization, frequent mowing during peak growing season, and occasional dethatching.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance compared to other warm-season turfgrasses, good salt tolerance for coastal environments, but lower wear and traffic tolerance than Bermuda or Zoysia.
Ecological Information
Introduced to many regions for landscaping, provides good soil stabilization and erosion control in coastal areas, excellent turf density that crowds out most weeds when healthy.