Cobalt® Hybrid St. Augustine is quickly gaining attention across the industry for its environmental benefits and high performance for homeowners, landscapers and sod producers. Developed through years of research at Texas A&M AgriLife, it combines improved drought tolerance, durability and color retention. Learn what sets this innovative variety apart from others with insights from Dr. Ambika Chandra, who led its development, and Allen Woerner, a turfgrass producer who has followed its progress from research to commercial production.
The Breeder's Perspective: Dr. Ambika Chandra
Dr. Ambika Chandra
For more than 15 years, Dr. Chandra has worked to develop a St. Augustinegrass with superior drought tolerance and long-term viability. Through extensive trials, she has demonstrated that with proper management, Cobalt can perform at a high level while using 30-50% less water than traditional varieties, marking a significant advancement in water efficiency and cost savings for homeowners.
Crossing seedlings and using embryo rescue technology in a lab led to developing a hybrid St. Augustinegrass suited for broad commercial and residential use. Dr. Chandra’s work has helped create a variety that offers exceptional drought resistance and improves disease tolerance and adaptability to different soil conditions. As a cutting-edge advancement in turfgrass technology, Cobalt combines multiple desirable traits in a way that could transform industry expectations.
“We really needed to come up with a variety that was not just a small increment of improvement but take a big step forward and I think Cobalt has the ability to change that perception. In order to sell grass it’s got to have either drought tolerance or disease resistance or shade tolerance or something, but what actually sells is the color. And I think with Cobalt, they’ve been able to bring all of that together into one hybrid,” Dr. Chandra said. “When it comes to water, Cobalt St. Augustine is as good as it gets.”
Beyond drought tolerance and strong color, Dr. Chandra and her team are quantifying how much less water and fertility growers can apply while still maintaining healthy grass. Early results have been promising, reinforcing what many have already seen in the field.
“The feedback so far has been very positive and encouraging,” Dr. Chandra shared. “I do believe this grass has great potential in helping us reduce inputs, especially water and fertility, moving forward as a more sustainable option for lawns and landscapes.”
Cobalt® Hybrid St. Augustine being harvested at Woerner Farms in Foley, AL.
The Grower's Perspective: Allen Woerner
Allen Woerner presenting on Cobalt during the inaugural field day hosted at Woerner Farm’s Foley, AL farm in October 2024.
Woerner Farms has been a leader in turfgrass production across the Southeast for over a century, gaining deep expertise in St. Augustine varieties. Allen Woerner continues that legacy, focusing on producing improved natural turfgrasses suited to the region. Seeking a more sustainable option, he turned to Cobalt Hybrid St. Augustine and through firsthand experience, he has seen its strong performance and potential impact on the industry.
“As we move forward into this new generation of sod growers and just the overall sustainability in our marketplace, water is going to play more and more of a critical role,” he shared.
Woerner has been particularly impressed by Cobalt’s rapid establishment, making it a strong choice for both growers and end users. At the inaugural Cobalt Hybrid St. Augustine Field Day hosted at Woerner Farms in Foley, AL last fall, he spoke to industry professionals about a field they planted in February 2024. It had greened up by March, was grown in by May, and was fully established by late July. In 189 days, they began conservatively harvesting, further proving Cobalt’s fast growth and production potential.
“This is exciting for multiple reasons. One is the acceleration and speed of growth. What we have noticed is that once the Cobalt St. Augustine grows over and matures, we are able to harvest,” Allen said. “To find a quality turf that grows this fast in such a short time frame really changes the game for our production.”
Woerner has been instrumental in introducing Cobalt to the Southeast, emphasizing its ability to perform where other grasses struggle. “The largest thing that I can stress right now about Cobalt St. Augustine is its ability to thrive in very low-quality soils. Any grower facing lower-quality soils near their market should pay attention to this. We’re really excited about Cobalt St. Augustine,” he shared.
Soil consultants have closely evaluated Woerners’ Florida Panhandle and Alabama farm locations. They were surprised by Cobalt’s ability to thrive where Classic St. Augustine struggled. Last fall at their Clarksville, FL farm, Cobalt flourished despite low levels of calcium, sulfur, aluminum and other essential nutrients. Cobalt has also shown strong herbicide tolerance, making weed control easier than Classic St. Augustine.
Woerner shared that he has been consistently impressed with Cobalt’s durability, color retention and water efficiency, which set it apart in today’s market.
Future of Cobalt Hybrid St. Augustine
The future of Cobalt is promising. Dr. Chandra envisions it becoming a staple on farms and in neighborhoods. “In 10 years, I hope to see Cobalt in every yard, front and back,” she said. Woerner echoed this optimism, emphasizing the industry’s enthusiasm for a variety that combines innovation with practicality. As Cobalt continues to make its mark, it is a testament to the power of collaboration and forward-thinking in the turfgrass industry.
Harvested pallets of Cobalt® Hybrid St. Augustine at Woerner Farms ready for delivery.
