St. Augustine Floratam grass was released by the Florida and Texas Agricultural Experiment Stations in 1972 as a SAD virus and chinch bug resistant selection. It has since been observed to be the most drought tolerant St. Augustine & brown patch tolerant. Floratam is a vigorous, coarse textured St. Augustine grass variety.

Floratam St. Augustine grass was found to be better than common grass types for the following reasons:
1. It has resistance to SAD virus.
2. It has resistance to chinch bugs.
3. It is vigorous, establishes a ground cover rapidly, and has superior color.
4. It is superior to Texas common St. Augustine grass in its tolerance to downy mildew, gray leaf spot diseases and brown patch fungus.