St. Augustinegrass spreads by stolons. St. Augustinegrass is a fast-growing turfgrass
best adapted to the coastal plain. It has a medium- to dark-green color and very
coarsely textured leaves. With proper maintenance, it will provide a dense, lush
lawn. St. Augustinegrass is very shade and salt tolerant but is considered the least
cold tolerant lawn grass. The cultivar Raleigh has the best cold tolerance and is
well adapted for the eastern side of the piedmont and the western side of the coastal
plain.
Seed is unavailable, so cultivars must be vegetatively planted. St. Augustinegrass
grows best in fertile, well-drained soils.
Because St. Augustinegrass is fast growing, it needs to be mowed frequently at 2.5
to 4 inches during the growing season using a rotary mower. It should never receive
more than 4 pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft annually. At high rates of fertilization
and irrigation, thatch buildup may become a problem. St. Augustinegrass is not tolerant
of heavy traffic, compaction, or cold weather.