Cortaderia selloana, commonly known as Pampas Grass or Uruguayan pampas grass, is a tall grass native to the pampas of South America. It was originally grown to provide food for grazing animals. In North America and Europe it is an introduced species, cultivated as an ornamental grass which is hardy and decorative during winter. The feathery flower heads, when dried, are also used in flower arrangements.

Pampas grass is one of the tallest grasses; it grows in tussocks that can reach a height of 4m (13ft). The This article is about plant types. ... evergreen leaves are long and slender, but have very sharp edges so should be handled with care. The leaves are usually bluish-green, but can be silvery grey or variegated.

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 1 million seeds during its life time. As such, in some areas (for example California and Hawaii) it is regarded as an invasive weed, whilst in New Zealand the plant is banned.

Cultivars

There are several cultivars available, including

• Albolineata - a 'dwarf' variety which grows to only 2m in height. The leaves are yellow edged.
• Sunningdale Silver - grows to a height of 3m and has particularly dense flowering plumes. This variety has been awarded the The Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1804 as the London Horticultural Society, and gained its present name in a Royal Charter granted in 1861 by Prince Albert. ... Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit.

References

• BBC plant profiles (http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/plants/plantprofile_grasses.shtml)
• Blueplanetbiomes.org  (http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/pampas_grass.htm)