Can St. Augustine Grass Have Above-ground Runners?

Growth Traits

• St. Augustine grass has an aggressive growth habit and spreads with above-ground stems or runners referred to as stolons. The stolons grow up to several feet long and take roots wherever the nodes, or the areas where the blades grow, touch the soil. The use of stolons, sod or plug has remained the main method of propagating the grass. Although seed are sometimes used, this method has not gained wide popularity.

Description

• The grass has a medium green color, coarse texture and wide blades that are boat-shaped at the tip. The leaf blades are folded at the bud or base and lack auricles. The leaf sheath is flat and forms a thin petiole or blade stalk. The grass spreads in a creeping fashion given the long stolons, creating a low and dense turf. The thick growth of St. Augustine makes it highly resistant to weeds.

Properties

• Being a warm-season grass, St. Augustine grass is highly adapted to areas of full sun and regions with hot weather. When grown in hot regions, the grass also adapts to shade. The water-efficient grass grows rapidly during summer and goes dormant in fall and winter. With its low tolerance for wear and traffic, St. Augustine grass is more suited for low-traffic domestic lawns, rather than sports field or high traffic areas. The grass requires high levels of nitrogen-rich fertilizers annually and is poorly tolerant of cold.

Problems

• The dense growth habit of St. Augustine grass makes it severely prone to thatch where thatch-clogged lawns become hard to mow. Serious pests include white grubs and the southern cinch bug. Common diseases of St. Augustine grass include brown patch. Lawns that are poorly maintained, are inadequately fertilized or are suffering from drought are more susceptible to diseases and pest infestations.