St. Augustine grass

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St. Augustine grass
Staugustinegrass.JPG
Stenotaphrum secundatum - Flickr - Kevin Thiele.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus: Stenotaphrum
Species:
S. secundatum
Binomial name
Stenotaphrum secundatum

St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum), also known as buffalo turf in Australia and buffalo grass in South Africa, is a species of grass in the family Poaceae. It is a warm-season lawn grass that is popular for cultivation in tropical and subtropical regions. It is a medium- to high-maintenance grass that forms a thick, carpetlike sod, crowding out most weeds and other grasses.

Contents

Characteristics

'Palmetto' with St. Augustine decline infection St. Augustine grass with St. Augustine Decline infection.jpg
'Palmetto' with St. Augustine decline infection

St. Augustine is a dark green grass with broad, flat blades. It spreads by aboveground stolons, commonly known as "runners", and forms a dense layer.

The grass occurs on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, [1] including much of the southeastern United States, Texas, [2] [3] Mexico, and Central and South America. [1] It has escaped cultivation in California, [4] Hawaii, many Pacific islands, South Africa and New Zealand. [1] [5]

St. Augustine grass occurs in most Caribbean and Mediterranean areas. It grows best in tropical climates. It is often seen in lagoons and marshes, on shorelines, and wherever there is a good amount of moisture.

Planting and propagation

Only recently has commercially valuable and viable seed for St. Augustine become available, so it has typically been propagated by plugs, sprigs, or sod. Once the grass is cultivated, it can propagate on its own.

St. Augustine can grow in a wide range of soil types with a pH between 5.0 and 8.5. It usually blooms in spring and summer.

Uses

St. Augustine grass is commonly used in pastures and on ranches. It is a popular lawn grass, rivalling bermudagrass, though St. Augustine is somewhat less drought-tolerant.

Cultivars

A number of cultivars have been developed: [6]

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<i>Paspalum notatum</i> Species of plant

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<i>Cenchrus clandestinus</i> Species of plant

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<i>Digitaria didactyla</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Alysicarpus vaginalis</i> Species of flowering plant in the legume family

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<i>Zoysia japonica</i> Species of grass

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze". Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER).
  2. "St. Augustine grass". Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Archived from the original on 2009-01-22.
  3. "Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze". USDA PLANTS.
  4. "Taxon Report 7783: Stenotaphrum secundatum". The CalFlora Database.
  5. Stenotaphrum secundatum (buffalo grass)
  6. Trenholm, L. E., et al. St. Augustinegrass for Florida Lawns. Publication #ENH5. University of Florida IFAS. 1991. Revised 2011.
  7. Buss, E. A. "Southern Chinch Bug Management on St. Augustinegrass". Publication #ENY-325. University of Florida IFAS. 1993. Revised 2010.
  8. Collaboration Between Texas A&M And University Of Florida Creates Popular Lawn Grass - Texas A&M Today
  9. History of Sir Walter

[1]

  1. Stenotaphrum secundatum 'Variegatum' (v) | variegated buffalo grass Conservatory Greenhouse/RHS Gardening