Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana (Schult.) Aschers. & Graebn.

kor-teh-DER-ee-ah  sell-oh-AY- nah

Poaceae

Explanation of name: Cortaderia comes from the Argentinian name cortadera, this from Spanish cortar, to cut, a comment on the knifelike leaf edges (HIT). Selloana commemorates naturalist Friedrich Sellow, 1789-1831 (DEH).

Natural range: southern South America. Plains and open slopes (HIT).

Recognition: Very large clumping grass sometimes rising to 9’ tall with massive glossy-white (or pinkish) plumelike feathery flower clusters. Pampas Grass could be confused with the other large clumping grasses discussed below.

            Similar species (PBCC, HIT, WU1, TOB, YAR): There are additional grasses of comparable size cultivated around South Florida. Fakahatchee Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides) is native and has leaves resembling those of Pampas Grass by being clumped at the base of the plant, but its flower clusters look like fingers and are not feathery plumes (see separate page). The native Sugarcane Plumegrass (Saccharum giganteum, Erianthus giganteus) forms showy plumes but differs by having fuzz on the flower stalk below the plume. Lemon Grass (treated separately) has drooping clumped leaves with a blue coloration and a distinctive lemon fragrance.

            The other large grasses have leaves distributed along the stem rather than clumped at the base of the plant: Common Reed (Phragmites australis, P. communis) is an enormous (6-12’ tall) grass occurring in disturbed wet localities. Its flower clusters are bent at the tip. Silkreed (Neyraudia reynaudiana) is a similar invasive exotic to the south of us and probably expanding its range; it differs from Common Reed by having a tuft of wooly hairs where the leaves depart from the stem. Giant Reed (Arundo donax) has distinctive broad bases wrapping around the stem. Elephant Grass (Pennisetum purpureum) is an enormous (12’ tall) weed escaped into wet disturbed places, having its flowers in a long narrow cluster reminiscent of a tawny, bristly bottlebrush. The infrequently cultivated Tiger Grass (treated separately) has enormous leaves to 3 inches wide, and multibranched but non-feathery inflorescences over a yard long.

Landscape uses: Used mostly to the north of Palm Beach County (consider Fakahatchee Grass as a local, native alternative), Pampas Grass is a showy landscape highlight demanding center stage when in bloom late summer and autumn, with the drying plume persisting into winter (it may lose its appeal during late winter, and may be cut back).

Notes: Pampas Grass is popular in dry flower arrangements.