St. Augustine Grass

Stenotaphrum secundatum

Found in brackish and freshwater tidal marshes, roadsides, dunes, lawns. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Alabama. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: About 10.8 inches
Light: Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

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Stenotaphrum secundatum — flower photograph — (c) scallions, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY 4.0 · Original photograph

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Blue Wood Sedge
Carex flaccosperma
Sun: Deep shade, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Green or white.
Similar growth form, height, evergreen or deciduous
Eastern Woodland Sedge
Carex blanda
Sun: Full sun, Part shade, Shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light
Cattail Sedge
Carex typhina
Sun: Full to part sun. Soil: Moist to wet. Flowers: Green.
Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: July to October

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 12 Alabama counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

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Freshwater tidal marshes

Marshes along tidal rivers where the water is fresh but rises and falls with the tide.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

Coastal dunes and beaches

Open sand of beaches, dunes and the hollows between them.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

18CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AL

Genus host records with ranges including AL · Stenotaphrum

Agrotis ipsilonIpsilon Dart, Black Cutworm, Greasy Cutworm
Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
Argyria gonogrammaMilky Argyria, Milky Urola
Atalopedes huronSachem
Cisseps fulvicollisYellow-Collared Scape Moth
Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
Hedone vibexWhirlabout
Hermeuptychia sosybiusCarolina Satyr
Herpetogramma phaeopteralisDusky Herpetogramma Moth,
Hylephila phyleusFiery Skipper

Show all 18

Lerema acciusClouded Skipper, Corn Leaf tier
Lerodea eufalaEufala Skipper, Gray Skipper, Rice Leafroller
Leucania scirpicolaScirpus Wainscot
Megisto cymelaLittle Wood Satyr
Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
Polites othoSouthern Broken-Dash, Broken-Dash Skipper
Spodoptera eridaniaSouthern Armyworm Moth
Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Poaceae
Hardiness: Zones 7a–12b
Soil pH: Acidic to alkaline
Flower color: Green or brown
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth habit: Spreads by rhizomes
Foliage color: Green

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “July to October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Green or brown” · Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Spreads by rhizomes” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Rapid” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 7a–12b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “About 10.8 inches” · USDA PLANTS (ranked first; Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center differs) · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to alkaline” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

Alabama rank	SNR
Global rank	G5
AL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source