Pampas Grass
Cortaderia selloana

Family: Poaceae or Gramineae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Pink, White. Main Bloom Time: Early fall, Late summer, Mid summer, Mid fall. Form: Irregular or sprawling.

Cortaderia selloana is an evergreen Perennial growing to 3 m (9ft) by 1.2 m (4ft in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in leaf all year, in flower from August to October, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 3

Where it is found

Moist sandy soils on river banks and mountains in Chile.

S. America - temperate areas. Sometimes persists in Britain as a garden throw-out.

Conservation Status: This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Countries/locations it is found in

A native of temperate South America including Argentina, Chile, Brazil and Uruguay. Present in Ireland and the UK, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. It also occurs in many Micronesian islands, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Hawaiian islands and the Pacific coast of the USA.

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 2

A fibre obtained from the leaves is used for making paper. The leaves are harvested in the autumn, they are cut into usable pieces and soaked for 24 hours in clear water. They are then cooked for 2 hours with lye and then beaten in a blender. The fibre makes a yellow paper. The feathery flower head plumes, when dried, are widely used in flower arrangements and other ornamental displays.

Fibre: Used for making cloth, rope, paper etc.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

Agroforestry Services: Windbreak: Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.

Industrial Crop: Biomass: Three broad categories: bamboos, resprouting woody plants, and giant grasses. uses include: protein, materials (paper, building materials, fibers, biochar etc.), chemicals (biobased chemicals), energy - biofuels

Management: Hay: Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Minor Global Crop: These crops are already grown or traded around the world, but on a smaller scale than the global perennial staple and industrial crops, The annual value of a minor global crop is under $1 billion US. Examples include shea, carob, Brazil nuts and fibers such as ramie and sisal.

Agroforestry Services: Windbreak: Linear plantings of trees and shrubs designed to enhance crop production, protect people and livestock and benefit soil and water conservation.

Management: Hay: Cut to the ground and harvested annually. Non-destructive management systems maintaining the soil organic carbon.

Carbon Farming: Plants that can be a critical part of the solution to climate problems. The Carbon Farming Solution - Eric Toensmeier.

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Container, Massing, Specimen. Succeeds in most soils, preferring a damp well-drained sandy or loamy soil. Inclined to be intolerant of cold clay soils. Succeeds in dry soils. Prefers a sunny sheltered position. Very tolerant of maritime exposure. This species is hardy to about -20°c if the winter is not excessively wet, though it is intolerant of prolonged periods of cold weather. Pampas grass is occasionally cultivated in some areas for its fibre which is used in making paper. Plants grow well as a focal point in a lawn and they also succeed in quite coarse grass. A number of named forms have been selected for their ornamental value. The leaves have saw-toothed edges, it is best to wear gloves when working with the plant. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. The inflorescence on the male plant is rather erect whilst it has wide spreading branches on the female. Special Features:Attracts birds, Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Suitable for cut flowers, Suitable for dried flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - surface sow March/April in a greenhouse. The seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 15°c. Keep the soil moist. The seed has a short viability. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in late spring. It can be very difficult to obtain divisions from this plant because they tend to be very large and to be very close to the main clump. We have found it best to use a sharp spade to cut into the main clump and break off the divisions. These are then potted up in light shade in a cold frame and are planted out once they have rooted well and are in active growth.

Best place to grow: Lawn;

Habit: Perennial

Hardiness: 7-11

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: No shade

Moisture: Dry, moist

Things to keep in mind

This plant can be weedy or invasive according. Listed as one of the worst invader taxa in Europe and as a noxious species in Western Australia. Invasive in Hawaii and California. In New Zealand and South Africa, the plant is banned from sale and propagation.

Its other names

Local names

pampas grass; silver pampas grass; Uruguayan pampas grass. Spanish: cortadera; ginerio plumacho; hierba da las pampas; penacho. French: gynerion argente; herbe des pampas; roseau a plumes. Brazil: bardeira; capim-do-pampas; paina; pluma. Germany: Silberweisses Pampasgras. Portugal: paina; plumas capim-das-pampas; ponacho-blanco erva-das-pampas. Spain: carrizo de la pampa.

Synonyms

C. argentea. (Nees.)Stapf. Gynerium argenteum.

Pampas Grass Cortaderia selloana