Hardiness zones
Sunset 12-24
USDA 8-11

Landscape Use: Seascape, soil stabilization, background, floral accent

Form & Character: Wispy and large (except dwarf cultivar), spectacular pompous flower display

Growth Habit: Large, robust, tussock bunch grass up to 15' in diameter; flowering stalks up to 20' high

Foliage/Texture: Long leaves are blade like, slightly glaucous, reflexed, tips narrowly tapering, bristle-like, blade often v-shaped in cross section, margins rough, stiffly and finely serrated, dangerous; leaves mostly basal to two-thirds of the height of the flowing stalks. MAJOR PAPER CUT (DEEP WOUND) TIME IF HANDLED WITHOUT GLOVES!.....fine texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Inflorescence is borne on a long stalk. Panicled flowers are silvery or creamy white to pink or mauve, feathery to 2' to 3' long. Stalks are 10' to 15' in height. Fruits are white, persistent on the stalk.

Seasonal Color: Flower stalks, summer through fall

Temperature: Tolerant

Light: Full sun to partial shade

Soil: Tolerant of most any soil condition.

Watering: Needs only limited supplemental water

Pruning: Hmmm....the very best way to rejuvenate and control this plant is to burn it to the ground every 2 to 3 years. Check with your local fire department before doing this because of the highly regulated world that we now live in that is prone to freak out over ecological management solutions in urban areas. Otherwise, severely prune pampas grass to the ground every few years. Be very careful to not et major deep paper cuts (wear double gloves) in the process. Then load the debris in the dumpster so it can help fill your local landfill. Trimmings from pampas grass do not compost.

Propagation: Prolific seed producer, propagates easily by seed.

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: Because of the difficulties of maintaining this large bunch grass plant, make sure that it has sufficient space in which to grow. Don't overcrowd!

Many named cultivars. 'Sunningdale Silver' and 'Rosea' (pink flowers) are nice prolific flowering cultivars. 'Aureolineata' has yellow leaf margins. 'Pumila' is a dwarf cultivar.

Invasive alert: Pampas grass has naturalized across the western United States in disturbed urban sites with limited supplemental moisture, especially in western California and Oregon. Pampas grass also accumulates large amounts of flammable thatch (dead biomass).