14 Jan Pampas grass
Cortaderia spp.
A very popular garden plant in the 1960’s
and 1970’s, Pampas Grass has earned its
status as a declared noxious weed.
Family: Poaceae
Origin: South America and New Zealand
Habit: Large, long lived perennial tussock forming ornamental grass
to 4.5m tall.
Leaves: Light green, up to 2m long and finely tapering with prominent
midrib and sharp edges that will cut the skin. A rim of hairs (to
3mm long) at leaf base (ligule).
Flowers: Large feathery heads on stems to 3m tall. White-biege (C.
selloana), or pink-mauve (C. jubata). Up to 50 plumes formed
on one mature plant. Both single sex and bisexual plants exist.
Summer-Winter.
Fruit: Small (2mm), short-lived, up to 100,000 seeds set per plume.
Roots: Strong fibrous root with rhizomes capable of re-shooting.
Dispersal: Seed spread by water, wind, humans, contaminated soil
(earthmoving equipment, car tyres etc) and garden
refuse dumping.
Control: Crowning, Slash and hand dig with mattock, Foliar spray.
Bag all seed heads.
