St. Augustine comes in named varieties, and each one is stocked in some of our markets and not others. Palmetto and CitraBlue take the most shade. Raleigh handles the most cold and is the Texas standard. Floratam is the Florida full-sun standard with the least shade tolerance. ProVista grows slower and lower. If the one you asked for is not cut near you, there is almost always a close match on this list, and the farm nearest your ZIP decides which.
People call and ask for a St. Augustine by name. Sometimes the answer is "not in your market," and the call ends there. It should not. This is the map.
The short answer
Shade: Palmetto or CitraBlue. Cold: Raleigh. Florida full sun: Floratam. Lower, slower growth: ProVista. Which one you can order depends on the farm nearest your ZIP code. Check your ZIP code to see what is stocked for you.
Why the variety depends on where you are
Sod is cut fresh against your order by the farm closest to you. Each farm grows a few varieties, chosen for that region's climate, and not the whole list. So Palmetto in Houston and Palmetto in Charleston come from different farms, and a variety that is standard in Florida may not be grown at all in Texas.
That is why the answer to "do you have ProVista" is a ZIP code, not a yes or no.
For what St. Augustine is and how to care for it, see the St. Augustine grass guide. This post is only about choosing between the named types.
Palmetto and ProVista
Palmetto
Palmetto is the all-rounder. It takes more shade than the Florida standard, holds color well into cool weather, and has a finer, softer look than Floratam. It is a common pick for yards with a mix of sun and tree cover.
We stock it in: Austin, Charleston, Dallas, Hilton Head, Houston, Miami, San Antonio, Southwest Florida and the Suncoast.
ProVista
ProVista was bred to grow slower and more upright, which means fewer mowings and a lower cut than most St. Augustine. Its shade tolerance is good. It is one of the newer varieties on this list and often the one people have read about before they call.
We stock it in: Charleston, Charlotte, Hilton Head, Houston, Jacksonville, Orlando, San Antonio, Southwest Florida, the Suncoast and Tampa.
Raleigh and Floratam
Raleigh
Raleigh is the cold-hardy St. Augustine and the long-time Texas standard. It comes through freezes that damage other types, which is why it is what you find across Dallas and Austin. Its shade tolerance is moderate. Like all St. Augustine, watch for chinch bugs in hot, dry weather.
We stock it in: Austin, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock and San Antonio.
Floratam
Floratam is the Florida workhorse. It is coarse, vigorous, and built for full sun. It has the least shade tolerance of this group, so it belongs in open yards, not under oaks. It is the variety most Florida lawns already are.
We stock it in: Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, San Antonio, Southwest Florida, the Suncoast and Tampa.
CitraBlue, Bitter Blue and Viridian
CitraBlue has a deep blue-green color, a lower growth habit, and shade tolerance that puts it alongside Palmetto. It is a Florida variety and we stock it in Miami, Orlando and the Suncoast.
Bitter Blue is an older, finer-textured Florida type with decent shade tolerance. We stock it in Orlando.
Viridian is a newer Florida variety with a dense, dark look. We stock it in Jacksonville and Tampa.
Texture, mowing and the things they share
Roughly from finest to coarsest: Bitter Blue and Palmetto, then CitraBlue and Viridian, then ProVista and Raleigh, then Floratam. Texture is a matter of taste more than performance.
Mowing: most St. Augustine is kept at 3 to 4 inches. ProVista and CitraBlue tolerate a somewhat lower cut. Never take more than a third of the blade at once.
All of them share the family traits. Good heat tolerance. The best shade tolerance of the warm-season grasses as a group, though it varies by variety as above. A thirst for water in summer. Chinch bugs as the pest to watch. And dormancy after a hard frost in the northern half of our St. Augustine markets, which is normal and not a problem.
If shade is the reason you are choosing St. Augustine at all, read best grass for shade before you decide.
If the one you want is not in your market
This is the call we want to stop losing. Use the nearest match:
- Wanted Palmetto for shade, not stocked: CitraBlue in Florida, ProVista where it is carried, Raleigh in Texas.
- Wanted ProVista, not stocked: Palmetto in Texas and the Carolinas. CitraBlue in central and south Florida.
- Wanted Floratam, not stocked: you are probably outside Florida. Palmetto or Raleigh is the sun-tolerant St. Augustine in Texas.
- Wanted Raleigh, not stocked: Palmetto is the cold-tolerant alternative in most of the same markets.
- Wanted CitraBlue, not stocked: Palmetto is the closest match for shade and color.
Each of these is a real St. Augustine with the same care, the same look from the street, and a shade rating within a step of what you asked for. The team can confirm which one the farm near you cuts.
The bottom line
Choose by the yard, not the name. Shade goes to Palmetto or CitraBlue. Cold goes to Raleigh. Florida full sun goes to Floratam. Lower and slower goes to ProVista. Then let your ZIP code tell you which of those is cut near you, and take the nearest match if your first pick is not.
Check your ZIP code to see which St. Augustine varieties and prices are available in your area, or call 1-866-886-2763 and name the one you want. If it is not stocked near you, the team will tell you the closest match.
