Blade & Mow Height
Blade: Wide blade, 8 to 10 mm
Mow: 3.5 to 4 inches
St. Augustine Sod Variety
Floratam Sod in Louisiana
Floratam is the workhorse St. Augustine across Louisiana. Chinch bug resistant, holds up to mixed sun, the standard spec for residential and commercial yards from Shreveport to New Orleans.
- Cut Fresh Per Order
- Statewide Delivery
- Contractor Pricing
What Is It?
Floratam Sod Explained
Floratam is a wide-blade St. Augustine cultivar released by the University of Florida and Texas A&M in 1973. It was bred specifically for chinch bug resistance, which is the main pest threat to St. Augustine across the Gulf Coast.
Best fit: mixed-sun residential yards across south and central Louisiana with at least 6 hours of direct sun. Floratam handles the heavy alkaline clay common across the NOLA Metro, the Capital Region, and Acadiana. It is the variety most Louisiana sod farms grow in highest volume because it moves the most pallets.
Where Floratam does not fit: deep oak shade (Palmetto handles shade better) and north Louisiana yards that see hard freezes (Raleigh handles cold better). If your yard gets less than 5 hours of direct sun, do not buy Floratam.
At a Glance
Floratam Specs
Quick-reference card. Blade, mow height, sun, shade, drought, traffic, salt, pH, and USDA zone.
Sun & Shade
Sun: 6+ hours direct sun required
Shade: Light to moderate shade only
Drought & Traffic
Drought: Moderate, needs supplemental watering in July-August
Traffic: Moderate, holds up to family use
USDA Zone
Zones 8-10 (most of Louisiana)
Salt Tolerance
Low to moderate
Soil pH
5.5 to 8.0 (handles alkaline clay)
Louisiana Fit
Where Floratam Fits Best in Louisiana
Floratam is the default Louisiana St. Augustine. It dominates from Houma to Lake Charles, Lafayette to Baton Rouge, and across the NOLA Metro suburbs. The wide blade handles the heavy alkaline clay typical of south Louisiana, and the chinch bug resistance is non-negotiable in our humid climate. For new construction in mixed-sun lots, Floratam is the standard spec on most builder packages across the state.
Common in: Metairie, Kenner, Marrero, Houma, Lafayette South, Baton Rouge Highland Road corridor, Lake Charles south, Hammond growth corridor, Slidell new builds
The LSU AgCenter turfgrass guide backs the regional fit data above. Send us your zip and we will tell you straight whether Floratam fits your specific yard.
Pricing
Floratam Sod Pricing & Pallet Coverage
Pallet Coverage
A standard pallet covers approximately 450 square feet, cut as 16x24 inch slabs (typical, varies slightly by farm). Most yards in Louisiana run 1 to 4 pallets.
Half Pallets
Half pallets available for small repairs and patch jobs (approximately 225 square feet). Minimum order applies for delivery, not pickup.
Contractor Pricing
Contractor and builder pricing kicks in at five or more pallets per order. NET 30 terms for qualified accounts. Recurring delivery scheduling for ongoing jobs.
Care Schedule
How to Care for Floratam Sod
- Watering during establishment: Water twice a day for the first 10 days. Then taper to once daily for week 2. By week 3, transition to deep watering 2-3 times per week. Established Floratam needs about 1 inch of water per week.
- Mow height range: Maintain at 3.5 to 4 inches. Cutting too short scalps the blade and invites disease. Use a sharp blade. Mow weekly during peak growth (April through October).
- Fertilizer schedule: 3 to 4 applications per year. Spring (March), early summer (May), late summer (August), and an optional fall feed in October. Use a balanced N-P-K with iron for color.
- Pre-emergent timing: Apply pre-emergent in mid-February (south LA) or early March (north LA) to block crabgrass. Second application 8-10 weeks later.
Honest Comparison
Floratam vs The Closest Alternatives
Two side-by-side reads so you can pick straight, not guess.
Floratam vs. Palmetto
Floratam wins for chinch bug resistance and full-sun residential. Palmetto wins for shade tolerance, finer blade, and slightly better cold tolerance. Pick Palmetto if your yard has 4-6 hours of sun under live oaks. Pick Floratam if you have 6+ hours of sun and want the proven workhorse.
Floratam vs. CitraBlue
Floratam is the proven mainstay. CitraBlue (UF 2019 release) is the newer premium upgrade with better drought tolerance, better shade tolerance, and a distinctive blue-green color. CitraBlue costs more per pallet. Pick CitraBlue if you want the upgrade. Pick Floratam if you want the proven default.
Common Questions
Floratam Sod FAQ
Floratam pricing varies by market and order size. A standard pallet covers approximately 450 square feet. Contractor pricing kicks in at five or more pallets per order. Call for current pricing tied to your delivery zip code.
Yes. Floratam is the highest-volume St. Augustine across Louisiana sod farms, so same-week delivery is standard statewide. Call by noon and your sod typically arrives within the same week, cut fresh from the farm the morning of delivery.
DIY is realistic for yards under 1,000 square feet if you have help and a level lawn. Larger yards, sloped lots, or builder-grade clay benefit from a professional crew because grading and prep matter as much as the sod itself. We can connect you with installation crews in most Louisiana parishes.
Chinch bugs are the main pest threat across the Gulf Coast (Floratam was bred for resistance). Brown patch fungus shows up in fall and spring during cool damp weeks. Take-all root rot can hit stressed lawns. Healthy mowing height (3.5-4 inches) and proper watering prevent most issues.
Ready to Order Floratam Sod?
Fresh Floratam sod cut from our family of Louisiana sod farms and delivered direct to your driveway. Same-week delivery. Contractor pricing on volume.
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 7 AM to 6 PM · Statewide delivery · Contractor pricing on volume