| Cortaderia selloana | |
|---|---|
| Cortaderia selloana in cultivation | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Cortaderia |
| Species: | C. selloana |
| Binomial name | |
| Cortaderia selloana |
|
Cortaderia selloana, commonly known as pampas grass, is a tall grass native to southern South America, including the pampas after which it is named, and Patagonia. Pampas grass is a tall grass, growing in dense tussocks that can reach a height of 3 m (9.8 ft). The leaves are evergreen, long and slender, 1–2 m (3.3 to 6.6 ft) long and 1 cm broad, and have very sharp edges (so they should be handled with care). The leaves are usually bluish-green, but can be silvery grey. The flowers are produced in a dense white panicle 20–40 cm (7.9 - 15.8 inches) long on a 2–3 m (6.6 - 9.8 ft) tall stem.
It was named by Alexander von Humboldt in 1818, after the German botanist and naturalist Friedrich Sellow, who studied the flora of South America, especially that of Brazil.
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Cortaderia selloana was introduced to Europe, North America and Australia as an ornamental grass, and, to a lesser extent, to provide food for grazing animals. The feathery flower head plumes, when dried, are widely used in flower arrangements and other ornamental displays.
There are several cultivars available, including:
Pampas grass is highly adaptable and can grow in a wide range of environments and climates. It also seeds prolifically, with each plant able to produce over one million seeds during its lifetime. As such, in some areas (for example California, Hawaii or Green Spain) it is regarded as an invasive weed, whilst in New Zealand and South Africa the plant is banned from sale and propagation for the same reasons. Burning pampas grass does not always kill it at the roots, but chemical weed killer does.
A widespread urban myth is that pampas grass is used by swingers to advertise their presence to other swingers in the area. The most commonly repeated version states that in the UK and Ireland a patch of pampas grass is planted somewhere in the front garden to act as a signal to passersby that swingers live in the home.[1][2][3][4]