St. Augustine Grass
Stenotaphrum secundatum · Warm-season, Perennial, C4 grass
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae
Grass Category
Lawn/Turf Grass
Variety / Cultivar
Floratam
Hardiness Zones
USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 10, low cold tolerance, goes dormant in cooler winters.
About This Grass
Forms a dense, carpet-like turf with broad, flat-tipped blades. Color ranges from blue-green to dark green. Height ranges from 1 to 3 inches when maintained.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades (>4mm wide), flat with blunt, rounded tips, folded in the bud, prominent veins, short membranous ligule with a fringe of hairs, and absent or small auricles.
Root System
Moderately deep fibrous root system originating from stolon nodes, moderate thatch tendency, rapid establishment from sod, moderate drought tolerance with good wear recovery.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to tropical and subtropical regions around the Gulf of Mexico and Mediterranean; widely cultivated in the southern United States.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading via thick above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse-textured sod.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Full sun to moderate shade tolerance, requires regular watering (approx. 1 inch per week), prefers well-drained loamy soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Mow at 2.5 to 3.5 inches, high frequency during growing season, medium to high maintenance level, requires regular fertilization.
Special Characteristics
Excellent shade tolerance compared to other warm-season grasses, poor wear tolerance relative to Bermuda, good salt tolerance.
Ecological Information
Introduced species in many regions, provides soil stabilization and turf cover, low invasive tendency outside managed landscapes.