Dwarf Varieties

• St. Augustine dwarf varieties such as 'Delmar' and 'Amerishade' offer good shade tolerance. They do tend to build up a thick layer of thatch, however.
  
  

Additional Varieties

• 'DeltaShade' and 'Bitterblue' cultivars both make good choices for shady lawns. 'Seville' works well in both shade and full sun, making it an ideal choice for a lawn with widely varying degrees of light.
  
  

Poor Shade Tolerance

• Avoid growing certain types of St. Augustine grass that have a poor track record in shady conditions. 'Floratam' and 'Floralawn' both perform best in sunny locations. You may also want to avoid the 'Classic' cultivar, which claims good shade tolerance but remains untested by university research, according to the University of Florida Extension.