Cortaderia selloanaPampas Grass

The Cortaderia selloana, or Pampas Grass, is the large tussock grass of the South American plains, grown worldwide for the silvery plumes it throws two to three metres into the air from late summer onward. The foliage clump is a dense fountain of arching blue-green blades, and the plumes hold their form well into winter.

It is used in bold drifts along roadsides and embankments, and as a single specimen where a scheme needs vertical movement without irrigation to support it.

Specifications

• Height2 to 3 metres in flower, with the foliage clump 1.2 to 2 metres
• Width1.5 to 2.5 metres
• Native toSouthern South America, from Argentina, Brazil and Chile
• FoliageLong, arching, blue-green blades with sharply serrated margins; evergreen
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers well-drained soils and tolerates sandy, poor and saline ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in warm temperate, subtropical, coastal and semi-arid regions

Additional Features

• FlowersTall silvery-white to pink plumes from late summer, persisting through autumn and into winter
• UsesIdeal for mass roadside and embankment planting, coastal schemes, and specimen clumps
• SpacingPlant 1.5 to 2 metres apart for a continuous drift
• Low MaintenanceCut the clump back hard every second or third year; the leaf margins are razor sharp, so keep it well back from paths and use gloves
• Pest ResistanceGenerally trouble-free
• Drought ToleranceHolds form and continues to flower on minimal irrigation
• Seasonal AppealThe plumes carry the display from late summer through winter

Pampas Grass delivers scale and movement on almost no water, provided it is sited clear of where people walk.