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, sensitive to hard frosts and prolonged freezing temperatures, goes into winter dormancy in cooler portions of its range.
Grass Family
Poaceae, subfamily Panicoideae, tribe Paniceae
Variety / Cultivar
Floratam
About This Grass
Forms a dense, coarse-textured turf with broad, flat-tipped blades and a distinct blue-green to dark green color. Height ranges from 2 to 3 inches when maintained; unmoved it can grow taller with flattened seed spikes.
Blade Characteristics
Coarse blades greater than 4mm wide, flat shape, blunt or rounded boat-shaped tips, blue-green to dark green color, folded vernation in the bud, short membranous ligule, and absent auricles.
Root System
Moderate depth fibrous root system originating from stolon nodes, forms a moderately thick thatch layer, establishes relatively quickly from sod or plugs, moderate drought tolerance with good recovery through stolon spread.
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to the coastal regions of the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Mediterranean; widely used in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, especially the southern United States.
Growth Habit
Stoloniferous, spreading rapidly via thick, flat above-ground runners (stolons) to form a dense, coarse-textured turf mat.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Prefers full sun but has the best shade tolerance among warm-season grasses; requires regular moisture and moderate to high watering; moderate drought tolerance by entering dormancy during severe dry spells; prefers well-drained soils with a pH of 6.0 to 7.5.
Mowing & Maintenance
Ideal mowing height between 2.5 and 3.5 inches, high frequency during growing season, requires 2 to 4 lbs N per 1000 sq ft per year, periodic dethatching and core aeration needed, medium-high maintenance level.
Special Characteristics
Moderate traffic and wear tolerance, susceptible to chinch bugs and large patch disease, poor cold tolerance, excellent shade tolerance compared to other warm-season grasses, good salt tolerance, widely used for coastal lawns.
Ecological Information
Introduced to many regions outside its native range, provides good soil stabilization and erosion control in coastal areas, offers limited wildlife habitat, used primarily for residential and commercial turf landscapes.