After Lethal Viral Necrosis (LVN) killed much of Valencia Palms’ Floratam St. Augustine lawns, homeowners acted fast. The neighborhood's landscape committee and board of directors turned to Sod Solutions Professionals for guidance. The recommendation: switch to CitraBlue® St. Augustine, a University of Florida-developed variety bred to handle Florida’s toughest conditions.

Caused by Sugarcane Mosaic Virus, LVN can destroy entire lawns and spread to surrounding areas. The effects of LVN are primarily felt in Florida’s common St. Augustine, Floratam. With no cure for LVN, the community needed an alternative to Floratam. They selected CitraBlue St. Augustine, a variety trialed in LVN-affected areas for several years, showing no signs of the disease.

“We're now going on four years and nobody regrets a single thing about that decision. We've installed pretty close to 2 million square feet so far, which is nearly 50 percent of the community. All the houses are done," shared Dennis Beltowski, Valencia Palms landscape manager in Delray, FL.

He praised CitraBlue for its year-round performance and minimal fertilizer needs. "Residents often ask me how often we fertilize and I tell them: not very much." He added that its thick horizontal growth helps prevent weeds. Looking ahead, Beltowski expects continued improvements as the community transitions to CitraBlue with the goal of keeping everything looking as great as it does now.