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Sod Varieties · Jacksonville, FL

St. Augustine Sod
in Jacksonville, FL

Florida's most popular grass. Shade-tolerant, fast-spreading, and HOA-approved in virtually every Northeast Florida neighborhood. $300/pallet, delivery included — covers 450 sq ft. Not sure how much you'll need? Calculate how much St. Augustine you need in seconds.

Call (904) 362-1337 Calculate How Much You Need

Current Price

$300 /pallet

Per Sq Ft

$0.67

Coverage

450 sq ft

Delivery

Included in every price — no separate fee to add.

About This Grass

Why St. Augustine Dominates Jacksonville Lawns

St. Augustine grass is the default choice for Northeast Florida — and for good reason. It handles Jacksonville's combination of heat, humidity, and subtropical rainfall better than any other warm-season variety. Its broad, flat blades form a thick, carpet-like turf that crowds out weeds naturally.

Walk through any established neighborhood in Mandarin, Ortega, or Riverside and you're almost certainly looking at St. Augustine. It thrives under partial tree canopy — a major advantage in older Jacksonville neighborhoods with mature live oaks. It's just as common in newer communities like Nocatee, Fleming Island, and throughout St. Augustine, FL, where HOA standards call for a dense, uniform lawn.

Two primary varieties are available: Floratam (the standard, full-sun workhorse) and Palmetto (a shade-improved cultivar that performs with as little as 4–5 hours of direct sun). If you have significant tree cover, ask us about Palmetto when you call. One thing to watch for once your lawn is established: chinch bug damage, the top pest threat to St. Augustine in our climate.

St. Augustine grass lawn in Jacksonville, FL

Performance Profile

St. Augustine Tolerance Ratings

Shade Tolerance

Excellent. Best shade tolerance of all warm-season grasses. Palmetto works with 4–5 hrs sun. See our best grass for shade comparison for more.

Drought Tolerance

Moderate. Needs consistent moisture — not a drought-resistant grass like Bermuda or Bahia.

Salt Tolerance

Moderate. Fine for most Jacksonville neighborhoods. For true coastal/beachfront, consider Zoysia.

Traffic Tolerance

Moderate. Handles normal family use well. For heavy traffic or play areas, consider Bermuda.

St. Augustine Sub-Varieties

Floratam vs. Palmetto: Which St. Augustine Is Right for Your Yard?

Two cultivars make up the majority of St. Augustine sod installed in Jacksonville. They look nearly identical but perform very differently based on your yard's sun exposure. Choosing the wrong one is the most common St. Augustine mistake.

Floratam St. Augustine

The Full-Sun Standard

Floratam is the most widely planted St. Augustine variety in Florida. Dense, fast-spreading, and producing the thick, dark-green lawn most Jacksonville homeowners picture when they think "sod" — it's the go-to for open, sunny yards with 6+ hours of direct sunlight. Floratam does not perform well in shade: under significant tree canopy, it thins out over time regardless of watering or fertilizing.

Best For

Open, full-sun yards · New construction · HOA communities · Nocatee, Ponte Vedra, Fleming Island

Sun Requirement

6+ hours direct sunlight

Palmetto St. Augustine

The Shade-Improved Cultivar

Palmetto was bred specifically to thrive where Floratam struggles. It maintains density and color with as little as 4–5 hours of direct sun — the right choice for yards with mature oak canopy, covered porches, or north-facing exposures. Palmetto has a slightly finer blade and holds its green better in cooler months. If your yard has any significant shade, Palmetto is almost always the better call.

Best For

Shaded yards · Mature trees · Mandarin, Ortega, Riverside · Older Jacksonville neighborhoods

Sun Requirement

4–5 hours direct sunlight

Not sure which cultivar fits your yard? Call us at (904) 362-1337 — we'll ask a couple of questions about your sun exposure and point you in the right direction before you order.

Honest Assessment

Is St. Augustine Right for Your Jacksonville Yard?

St. Augustine Works Well If..

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Your yard has partial shade from trees — especially relevant in Mandarin, Ortega, and Riverside

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You're in an HOA community — St. Augustine is accepted as standard in virtually every Northeast Florida HOA

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You want fast establishment — St. Augustine spreads quickly via surface runners in Jacksonville's warm, humid climate

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You want a lush, thick, dark green appearance — St. Augustine delivers the full Florida-lawn look

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You stay green year-round — unlike Bermuda and Zoysia, St. Augustine holds its color through Jacksonville's mild winters

Consider Another Variety If..

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You're on a beachfront or waterfront property with constant salt air — Zoysia handles saltwater exposure better. See our St. Augustine vs. Zoysia comparison for the full breakdown.

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You have heavy foot traffic from kids, dogs, or outdoor entertaining — Bermuda is more durable under sustained wear

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You rarely want to water — St. Augustine needs consistent moisture; Bahia or Bermuda need far less water once established

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You're covering a very large lot on a tight budget — Bahia at $200/pallet (delivery included) is far more economical for acreage

Worth Knowing

Chinch bugs are the primary pest threat to St. Augustine in Jacksonville. They thrive in hot, dry microspots and can devastate a lawn if not caught early. This doesn't disqualify St. Augustine — it's still the right choice for most Jacksonville yards — but you should know what to watch for. Read our chinch bug identification and treatment guide →

Common Questions

St. Augustine FAQs

How much does St. Augustine sod cost in Jacksonville? +
St. Augustine sod is $300 per pallet, delivery included. Each pallet covers 450 square feet — that's $0.67 per square foot. Use the sod calculator to get your full cost instantly. No call required.
How much shade can St. Augustine handle? +
Standard Floratam St. Augustine does best with 6+ hours of direct sun per day. If your yard receives 4–5 hours of direct sun, Palmetto St. Augustine is a better fit — it's specifically bred for lower-light conditions. Both varieties outperform Bermuda and Zoysia in shade. Ask us which is available when you call.
Are chinch bugs really a problem with St. Augustine in Jacksonville? +
Yes — chinch bugs are the number one pest threat to St. Augustine in Florida, and Jacksonville's hot summers make conditions ideal for them. They appear as irregular brown patches in sunny areas that spread outward. The good news: early detection and targeted pesticide treatment (look for products with bifenthrin or lambda-cyhalothrin) are very effective. See our full chinch bug guide for identification photos and treatment steps.
How fast does St. Augustine sod spread and fill in? +
St. Augustine spreads via stolons — above-ground runners that creep across the soil and put down roots. In Jacksonville's warm, humid growing season, new sod typically knits into the soil within 2–3 weeks. Small gaps and thin areas fill in within 4–8 weeks for spring and summer installations. Fall installations establish more slowly but still root in before winter.
What's the difference between Floratam and Palmetto St. Augustine? +
Floratam is the standard, most widely planted variety — dense, vigorous, and excellent for sunny yards with 6+ hours of direct sun. Palmetto is a shade-improved cultivar that works well with 4–5 hours of sun. Palmetto has slightly finer blades and is a bit less aggressive in growth habit. Both are HOA-approved and perform well in Jacksonville's climate. The right choice depends on your sun exposure.
What type of sod grows best in Jacksonville, FL? +
St. Augustine — specifically Floratam — is the most popular sod in Jacksonville by a wide margin. It thrives in the subtropical heat, tolerates partial shade from mature trees, spreads aggressively via stolons, and is universally accepted by HOAs. Zoysia is the premium upgrade for full-sun coastal yards. Bermuda excels for high-traffic areas. For the typical Northeast Florida residential yard, St. Augustine is the right starting point.
What grass varieties do sod providers carry in Northeast Florida? +
The four warm-season varieties available from Northeast Florida sod providers are St. Augustine, Zoysia, Bermuda, and Bahia. First Coast Sod carries all four, cut fresh daily. St. Augustine is the most available and most ordered year-round, followed by Zoysia for premium yards.
Is St. Augustine or Zoysia better for Jacksonville yards? +
St. Augustine wins for yards with any shade, faster establishment needs, and standard residential budgets ($300/pallet, delivery included vs Zoysia’s $350). It also establishes faster — new sod knits in within 2–3 weeks in Jacksonville’s growing season. Zoysia is the better long-term investment for purely full-sun yards where a denser, lower-mowing lawn is the priority.
What sod variety is best for full sun in Jacksonville? +
St. Augustine performs well in full sun at the standard residential level. For yards that are fully sun-exposed with no shade anywhere, Zoysia produces a denser, finer-textured lawn with less mowing and better drought tolerance. Bermuda is the choice for high-traffic, sports-use full-sun yards. St. Augustine at $300/pallet, delivery included remains the best value option for standard full-sun residential lawns.

Explore More

Compare Other Sod Varieties

Zoysia

$350/pallet · Salt-tolerant · Premium coastal choice

View Zoysia →

Bermuda

$325/pallet · Traffic-tolerant · Full-sun performer

View Bermuda →

Bahia

$200/pallet · Most affordable · Large lots & rural

View Bahia →
Calculate How Many Pallets You Need View All FAQs

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Get a Quote on St. Augustine Sod

Call or email for pricing, availability, and curbside delivery quote. St. Augustine is $300/pallet, delivery included. We serve Duval, St. Johns, Clay, and Nassau counties.

Call (904) 362-1337 Email Us