St Augustine vs Bermuda: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Both St. Augustine and Bermuda are popular warm-season lawn grasses, especially in warm climates like DFW and the southern United States. Homeowners often compare St Augustine vs Bermuda when choosing a turfgrass, since each grass has distinct characteristics. In general, St. Augustine grass is known for its shade tolerance and thick, wide blades, whereas Bermuda grass thrives in full sun with thin blades and aggressive growth. Understanding the difference between Bermuda vs St Augustine grass will help you pick the type best suited to your yard’s conditions and your maintenance preferences.

St Augustine grass (left) and Bermuda grass (right). St Augustine has broader, coarse-textured blades, while Bermuda grass has fine, narrow blades that create a dense carpet.

Difference Between Bermuda and St Augustine Grass

Appearance and Texture: St. Augustine grass has a much coarser texture and broader blades compared to Bermuda. St. Augustine leaves are around 8–9 mm wide, giving lawns a dense, almost tropical look, while Bermuda’s fine blades are only about 1–2 mm wide. This makes Bermuda turf feel softer and look like a smooth carpet (similar to a golf course fairway), whereas St. Augustine appears thicker and more rugged. The contrasting blade width is often the easiest way to tell them apart.

Growth Habits: Bermuda grass spreads via both stolons (above-ground runners) and rhizomes (underground stems), which contributes to its fast, aggressive spread and ability to fill in bare spots quickly. St. Augustine, on the other hand, spreads only through stolons and does not have underground rhizomes. This means Bermuda can establish and recover from damage faster, but it also tends to invade flower beds or other grass areas due to its aggressive growth. St. Augustine forms a thick mat that chokes out weeds well.

Sunlight and Shade: One of the biggest differences is shade tolerance. St. Augustine is far more shade-tolerant. It can grow in partially shaded areas where Bermuda would thin out or die. In fact, St. Augustine is considered one of the most shade-tolerant warm-season grasses, outperforming Bermuda and even most Zoysia varieties in shade endurance. Bermuda grass requires full sun, about 6–8 hours of direct sunlight daily, and struggles in shade. If you have many trees or shaded spots, Bermuda may develop bare patches, whereas St. Augustine would be the better choice for those areas.

Drought and Water Needs: Bermuda is generally more drought-tolerant than St. Augustine. Both grasses prefer about 1 inch of water per week, but St. Augustine will show drought stress faster and often needs more consistent moisture to stay lush. Bermuda’s deep roots help it survive dry spells by going dormant (turning brown) and then recovering once watered. In hot, dry climates, Bermuda usually maintains its green color longer during drought, whereas St. Augustine might go dormant or thin out without extra watering. For homeowners, this means St. Augustine is more of a “water hog” and will require irrigation sooner during a drought compared to Bermuda.

Mowing and Maintenance: St. Augustine and Bermuda have different mowing preferences. St. Augustine thrives when kept taller, usually mowed at 2–4 inches height, which helps its thick blades photosynthesize and crowd out weeds. Bermuda, in contrast, is often kept short; ideal Bermuda mowing height is about 0.5–1.5 inches for a manicured look. As a result, Bermuda lawns often need more frequent mowing (sometimes weekly or more in peak season) since the grass grows back quickly and should be kept low. St. Augustine’s higher cut can mean slightly less frequent mowing, but it still grows fast in summer and may need mowing about every 5–7 days at 3-inch height. Beyond mowing, Bermuda typically demands a bit more care like fertilization and occasional dethatching due to its dense growth, whereas St. Augustine might face more pest/disease issues if not well-maintained. Both grasses appreciate well-draining soil, but Bermuda can adapt to a wider range of soil types and pH (even heavy clays or very alkaline soil) whereas St. Augustine prefers slightly acidic to neutral soils.

Establishment and Cost: Many homeowners choose Bermuda if they want a budget-friendly option or to overseed a large area, while St. Augustine sod is chosen for shaded yards or its aesthetic even though it costs more to install. Additionally, Bermuda’s aggressive growth means it can repair bare spots on its own relatively quickly, while damaged patches of St. Augustine might need re-sodding since it fills in slower.

St Augustine or Bermuda Grass: Which Should You Choose?

When deciding St Augustine or Bermuda grass for your lawn, it ultimately boils down to your yard conditions and what qualities you prioritize. Each grass has pros and cons, so the best choice depends on your situation.

Below are some key factors to consider when choosing Bermuda or St Augustine grass for your needs:

• Sunlight Exposure: If your lawn has lots of shade, St. Augustine is the clear winner thanks to its shade tolerance. For full sun, Bermuda thrives and will outperform St. Augustine in open, sunny areas. Evaluate how many hours of direct sun your yard gets: shaded lawns lean toward St. Augustine, while sunny lawns can go with Bermuda.

• Water and Drought: If you prefer a lower-water, drought-hardy lawn, Bermuda has the edge. It survives on less water and bounces back from drought better. St. Augustine will need more frequent watering and tends to brown out sooner in dry heat. However, if you have irrigation and don’t mind watering, St. Augustine can reward you with a lush, green carpet (it just must be watered well in dry spells).

• Foot Traffic and Use: For high-traffic yards (kids, dogs, sports), Bermuda is generally more durable. It has excellent wear tolerance and recovers quickly from foot traffic damage. St. Augustine handles only light to moderate traffic. It may thin out in a backyard that’s a dog’s playground or a frequent soccer field. If your lawn is mostly for looks with minimal rough play, St. Augustine’s lesser traffic tolerance might not be an issue, but active use favors Bermuda.

• Maintenance Effort: Consider how much maintenance you’re willing to do. St. Augustine usually means taller mowing but more watering and vigilance for pests/disease, as it can be susceptible to chinch bugs and fungal issues if neglected. Bermuda demands frequent mowing and edging (due to rapid spread), and it loves fertilizer, but it’s somewhat less prone to diseases and can choke out weeds when healthy. If you want a low-mow lawn, neither is “low maintenance,” but St. Augustine won’t need as constant mowing as a finely-manicured Bermuda. On the other hand, if you’d rather not worry about pests and you enjoy mowing routinely, Bermuda can be very rewarding.

• Appearance Preference: This comes down to personal taste. St. Augustine provides a thick, coarse-textured, carpet-like lawn that many find attractive in a residential setting. Bermuda offers a soft, fine-textured, golf-course look that some homeowners love for its uniformity. St. Augustine’s wider blades give a lush “tropical” aesthetic, while Bermuda’s fine blades give a neatly trimmed appearance. Think about which look you prefer for your home.

• Climate and Season: Both are warm-season grasses, going dormant and brown in winter if temperatures drop (Bermuda will typically brown out with the first frost). In regions with mild winters (e.g. South Florida, South Texas), St. Augustine might stay green longer, but generally expect dormancy from both when it gets cold. If your area sees occasional hard freezes, Bermuda may have slightly better cold tolerance and comeback, whereas St. Augustine could suffer more in a severe freeze.

In summary, choose St. Augustine for yards with shade or if you desire its thick look and don’t mind extra watering and sod installation costs. Choose Bermuda for hot, sunny areas especially if you need a hardy play lawn that’s budget-friendly and drought-tolerant. 

The “better” grass truly depends on what your lawn needs – one is not universally superior to the other. Many lawn experts note that it’s about “the right grass for the right place”: St. Augustine excels in conditions where Bermuda would struggle (shade, coastal salt, etc.), while Bermuda excels where St. Augustine would struggle (high traffic, low watering, full sun).

Mixing St. Augustine and Bermuda Grass

Some homeowners wonder if they can have a Bermuda-St. Augustine mix in the same lawn. In general, planting St. Augustine and Bermuda grass together is not recommended unless in separate sections, because their growth patterns differ and they will compete. Bermuda grass is very aggressive and invasive – if mixed, Bermuda tends to overtake St. Augustine over time by out-competing it for soil and spreading via rhizomes. In a head-to-head contest in the same space, Bermuda’s faster growth and tolerance for low mowing often give it the edge, and it can creep into the areas where St. Augustine is growing.

That said, it’s not impossible to see St Augustine and Bermuda grass mix in a yard. Sometimes, St. Augustine is used in shaded spots and Bermuda in sunny spots of the same property – for example, one might sod St. Augustine under trees and let Bermuda seed into open areas. If managed carefully, you could maintain two types of grass in different zones (St. Augustine for shade, Bermuda for sun). But where they meet, expect a turf war. Usually, the finer Bermuda will eventually infiltrate the St. Augustine area or vice versa, leading to a patchy appearance.

Importantly, you won’t find a mixed seed for these two – they are sold and planted separately. If you currently have a St. Augustine lawn and bare patches get overtaken by Bermuda from a neighbor’s yard (a common scenario), you’ll start seeing the contrast in texture. You can either tolerate a mixed lawn or you’ll have to selectively remove one grass and re-sod to maintain a uniform look. Keep in mind that Bermuda can literally grow underneath and through St. Augustine via rhizomes, so once it gains a foothold, removing it can be challenging. In summary, while possible to have both, a Bermuda/St. Augustine mix is generally unstable – one will usually dominate. If you do attempt it, plan to segregate them by areas or be prepared for ongoing maintenance to keep the balance.

Bermuda vs St Augustine in Texas

Both Bermuda and St. Augustine are widely used in Texas lawns, and each can be considered the “best” depending on conditions. In the hot Texas climate, Bermuda grass thrives with its excellent heat and drought tolerance, making it a go-to choice for many Texans. Bermuda’s ability to withstand intense sun and dry spells means it stays robust through Texas summers, and its aggressive growth quickly recovers any wear or damage. It’s no surprise that Bermuda is common in Texas, from home lawns to sports fields.

St. Augustine grass is also popular in Texas, particularly in areas where shade is a factor (for example, neighborhoods with large oak trees or along the Gulf Coast). For shaded Texas lawns, St. Augustine is often the better fit since it can grow with less direct sun. Texas homeowners with big trees or partial shade often choose St. Augustine to get coverage where Bermuda would fail. St. Augustine also handles the region’s mild winters fairly well in southern parts of Texas (it stays green longer in places like Houston or Corpus Christi, going dormant only in cooler northern areas).

One consideration in Texas is water usage: during drought or watering restrictions, Bermuda may cope better by going dormant, whereas St. Augustine will suffer without regular watering. In cities where water conservation is key, some homeowners switch out thirsty St. Augustine for Bermuda or Zoysia. However, if watering is available, St. Augustine can make a beautiful, lush Texas lawn – it just needs more TLC in the heat.

Another consideration is soil: much of Texas has clay or alkaline soils, which Bermuda tolerates well. St. Augustine prefers well-drained, slightly acidic soil, but improved cultivars (like “Raleigh” St. Augustine) have been developed for Texas and can handle the black clay gumbo soil in regions like Dallas/Fort Worth.

Ultimately, for Texas: choose Bermuda grass for full-sun areas, low water reliance, and high traffic (it’s practically made for Texas heat). Choose St. Augustine for yards with shade or where you desire its particular look, and be prepared for higher watering needs. Many Texas lawns even use a combination: Bermuda in the open lawn and St. Augustine under trees (though, as noted above, they will clash at the borders). Both grasses will go brown in a Texas winter frost, so either way expect a dormant lawn in winter (unless overseeded with rye). In terms of pests, St. Augustine in Texas often battles chinch bugs in summer, while Bermuda might see the occasional armyworms – but a good lawn care regimen can manage these issues. In summary, Bermuda vs St Augustine in Texas comes down to sun vs shade and maintenance: match the grass to your landscape’s sunlight and your care capabilities for a successful Texas lawn.

Bermuda vs Zoysia vs St. Augustine

Besides Bermuda and St. Augustine, Zoysia grass is another warm-season turf often considered. Homeowners sometimes compare Bermuda vs Zoysia vs St Augustine because these three are among the most common southern lawn grasses. Zoysia is somewhat a middle-ground between Bermuda and St. Augustine in several ways. It has good drought tolerance and dense growth like Bermuda, and also offers better shade tolerance than Bermuda.

In terms of texture and appearance, Zoysia’s blade width is intermediate. Some zoysia cultivars have medium-width blades somewhat closer to St. Augustine’s look, while others are fine-bladed resembling Bermuda. Zoysia forms a very dense, cushiony turf that many find attractive; it’s often praised for its soft feel and rich green color. Maintenance-wise, Zoysia grows slower than both Bermuda and St. Augustine. This slow growth means less frequent mowing (a pro) but also slower recovery from damage (a con) – a heavily used zoysia lawn can get worn out because it doesn’t repair itself as quickly as Bermuda. Zoysia is also prone to thatch build-up over time due to its density, so it might require periodic dethatching.

For wear and tear, Bermuda still ranks first – its fast growth and creeping stems make it handle traffic best, which is why sports fields favor Bermuda. Zoysia tolerates moderate foot traffic but will not hold up to traffic as well as Bermuda. St. Augustine, as mentioned, handles the least traffic of the three. On the other hand, Zoysia generally needs less fertilizer and inputs than Bermuda; it can maintain a nice lawn with a bit lower nitrogen feeding. All three grasses prefer warm climates, and Zoysia and Bermuda can handle slightly cooler transitional zones better than St. Augustine (zoysia has decent cold tolerance in some varieties).

If we compare Bermuda vs Zoysia vs St Augustine:

• Shade: St. Augustine > Zoysia > Bermuda (from greatest to least shade tolerance).

• Drought: Bermuda and Zoysia are both quite drought-tolerant; Bermuda might stay greener in extreme heat, but zoysia survives drought by going dormant too. St. Augustine is most sensitive to drought.

• Maintenance: Bermuda requires the most frequent mowing and loves fertilizer; Zoysia needs mowing and fertilizer less often (but may need dethatching); St. Augustine lies somewhere in between for mowing, but needs vigilant watering and care for pests.

• Traffic: Bermuda handles heavy traffic best, Zoysia moderate, St. Augustine the least.

• Appearance: Subjective – St. Augustine gives a coarse lush look, Bermuda a fine manicured look, Zoysia a dense plush look. Zoysia can sometimes provide a happy medium if you want a balance of traits.

Choosing between these three would depend on the specific priorities (for example, if you need some shade tolerance but also want good traffic resistance, a fine-blade Zoysia could be a compromise).

Bermuda vs St. Augustine for Dogs

Bermuda grass generally comes out on top for a few reasons:

• Durability: Bermuda’s high wear tolerance means it can withstand dogs running, digging, and playing without as much damage. It’s commonly used on athletic fields for this resilience, so a dog running laps is no problem. St. Augustine grass, by contrast, has only fair wear tolerance – active dogs can trample it down, create paths, or turn areas to mud more easily since St. Augustine doesn’t recover as quickly.

• Recovery: Bermuda’s fast growth and creeping stolons/rhizomes allow it to recover quickly from pet damage (like urine spots or digging). It will fill back in faster where a dog may have worn it thin. St. Augustine, having no rhizomes and slower spreading, will take longer to heal or might need re-sodding in spots of severe damage.

• Firmness: When well-maintained, Bermuda forms a tight, low mat that holds up to paws and claws. St. Augustine is softer underfoot (which some pets might enjoy lounging on) but its thicker thatch can be torn up more easily by an active dog. Also, St. Augustine’s taller growth might get muddied if a dog runs often, whereas Bermuda’s low cut stays tidier.

• Urine Spots: No grass is completely immune to dog urine burns (the nitrogen in urine causes brown spots). However, because Bermuda grass is deep-rooted and robust, it often handles urine spots a bit better and can regrow through the damage after proper watering. St. Augustine might be more prone to showing large brown patches from dog urine and could struggle to recover without intervention.

It’s worth noting that both grasses are safe for dogs (neither is toxic), so the question is about practicality. If your dogs are not very active or you only have a small dog, St. Augustine can work fine and provides a cushiony play area. But for most cases, lawn care experts consider Bermuda grass the best grass for pets due to its toughness and quick regrowth. Bermuda’s strong, sturdy root system anchors it against rough play, and its hardiness means fewer bare spots even with energetic pups. In a warm climate yard with dogs, choosing Bermuda can save a lot of patch-repair work compared to St. Augustine.

One downside to keep in mind: Bermuda, being shorter, can get hotter on sunny summer days (the ground heats up), whereas taller St. Augustine might stay a tad cooler on the surface. Also, some pet owners note that a well-watered St. Augustine lawn feels softer for dogs to lay on. But in terms of longevity of the turf with dogs on it, Bermuda is typically the more dog-friendly grass because it’s hardier against the wear and tear of paws.

Is Bermuda and St. Augustine Grass the Same?

No – Bermuda and St. Augustine are entirely different grasses. Although both are warm-season lawn grasses, they are not the same and have distinct characteristics. Bermuda grass (scientific name Cynodon dactylon and hybrids) has fine, thin blades and a creeping growth pattern with stolons and rhizomes. St. Augustine (scientific name Stenotaphrum secundatum) has broad, flat blades with only above-ground stolons.

Visually, a patch of Bermuda grass versus St. Augustine grass will look quite different. St. Augustine’s wider blades give it a coarse texture, while Bermuda’s fine blades create a softer texture. In fact, it’s usually easy to tell them apart just by the blade width and the overall density of the turf.

Aside from looks, they differ in behavior: Bermuda is a sun-loving, drought-resistant grass, whereas St. Augustine is more shade-tolerant but needs more water. They are certainly not the same grass species, nor are they typically used interchangeably. If someone asks, “Is Bermuda and St. Augustine grass the same?”, the answer is that each is a unique grass type with its own pros and cons.

Homeowners should treat them as different options – for example, maintenance schedules (mowing height, watering frequency, etc.) will not be the same for Bermuda vs. St. Augustine lawns. In summary, they are not the same, and understanding those differences is key to choosing the right one for your lawn.