Photo: JLPC / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Pampas grass

Cortaderia selloana

The great silver-plumed grass of the Pampas: a spectacular, fast, salt-tolerant giant that is invasive in several countries and needs careful siting, plume control and room to grow.

Mature size1.8–3.7 m tall, 1.2–2.1 m spreadGrowthFastSunFull sunWaterModerate

Heat: 4 of 5

Salt: 4 of 5

Drought: 3 of 5

Shade: 2 of 5

Ease of care: 3 of 5

Use in a design Get it looked after

Pampas grass is rated High for invasiveness by Cal-IPC, which records it spreading in coastal California and the Mojave Desert, and it is a declared weed in parts of Australia. One plume can carry up to 100,000 wind-borne seeds. Plant it only in managed, irrigated beds, cut plumes before the seed ripens, and keep it away from wadis, verges and open land. The blades are razor-sharp and a dry clump is highly flammable.

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Pampas grass behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Avg high °C

24°

26°

29°

34°

38°

40°

42°

40°

36°

31°

27°

Best planting window

Oct – Dec

Jan – Mar

Spring growth flush

Mar – May

Feed in the growing season

Mar – Jun

Silver plume season

Oct – Dec

Cut back to the base

Best planting window: Oct–Mar
Cooler months give the roots time to establish before summer.
Spring growth flush: Mar–May
Feed in the growing season: Mar–Jun
NC State records that it needs abundant water and fertiliser during the growing season.
Silver plume season: Oct–Dec
NC State records late summer and autumn flowering, with plumes lasting until mid-winter.
Cut back to the base: Feb
Cut plumes before seed ripens, then cut the clump to the base in late winter; wear gloves and eye protection.

Pampas grass is evergreen and builds steadily through the growing season when it has abundant water and feed. In Dubai the silver plumes should appear in autumn, since NC State records late summer and autumn flowering, and they stay attractive until mid-winter. Cut the plumes while they are still in bloom, before seed ripens, then cut the whole clump close to the base in late winter, wearing gloves, long sleeves and eye protection. New growth flushes in spring. Plant in the cooler months, so the roots are established before the peak summer heat.

Meet the plant

Meet the Pampas grass

Meet pampas grass, the plant that made ornamental grasses glamorous. In late summer and autumn a mature clump throws up silver-white feather plumes that stand a metre or more above its leaves, and one clump can anchor an entire corner of a garden. The genus name comes from the Argentine Spanish for 'cutter', after the razor-sharp blade margins.

The technicality behind the display is reproductive. Plants are separately male and female, and the showy plumes are the female ones. Each plume can carry up to 100,000 seeds that travel on the wind, which is why a plant that is glamorous in a garden has become a weed in other countries.

That duality sets the mood. It is a luxurious, slightly theatrical plant, best used with restraint: a single large specimen, or a pair framing an entrance, with the discipline to cut the plumes before they ripen. Used that way, it gives a garden a sense of scale and drama that few other grasses can match.

Pampas grass is the most theatrical grass in the library: a huge, arching tussock of narrow, razor-edged blades, with silver-white feathered plumes that rise a metre or more above the foliage in late summer and autumn. NC State Extension gives a mature size of 6 to 12 feet tall (about 1.8 to 3.7 m) and 4 to 6.75 feet across, with rapid growth, and notes that it tolerates a wide range of soils, coastal and sandy conditions and is highly salt tolerant and drought tolerant. The showy plumes belong to the female plants; male plants have less showy heads. Compact cultivars such as 'Pumila' (4 to 6 feet) and 'Jet Streams' (3 to 5 feet) bring the look to smaller spaces.

It also has to be discussed honestly, because it is invasive in several countries. Cal-IPC gives it a High rating, records up to 100,000 wind-dispersed seeds per plume and describes it established on dunes, bluffs and coastal shrubland, and in the Mojave Desert. It was introduced from South America as an ornamental and for erosion control. Weeds Australia says seed can travel up to 25 km and notes that it is declared in the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania. We found no UAE record of naturalisation, but the pattern elsewhere is clear enough that the plant should be sited with care.

In a Dubai garden that means a single, deliberate statement planting, managed beds only, and discipline with the secateurs. NC State says it needs abundant water and fertiliser in the growing season and lists a high flammability rating, so give it room, remove dead material and keep it away from walls and fences. If you want height and movement with less ecological baggage, Vetiver in a sterile clone, the burgundy Purple fountain grass and the native Desert grass are better-behaved choices.

Design

Where to use it

Single large specimenEntrance pairTall screen in a managed bed

Reserve it for a spacious, managed bed in full sun, and plant it as a single deliberate statement or a pair, with about 3 m between clumps, as NC State advises 10 feet of spacing. Keep it well away from paths, play areas and pool decks because of the razor-sharp blades, from walls and fences because of the dry clump's flammability, and from wadis, verges and open desert because of its seed. Plan to cut the plumes before they ripen every year.

Date Palm

A date palm's vertical trunk and crown give a strong, tall companion for the grass's wide, arching mass, and both tolerate salt and heat.

Agave

Agave's rigid, blue-grey rosettes at the grass's feet make a sharp, sculptural counterpoint to the soft feathery plumes.

Olive

The olive's silver foliage echoes the plumes' tones, giving a restrained, luxurious palette in a sunny courtyard.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering: Summer: Established clumps tolerate drought, but NC State records that it needs abundant water and fertiliser in the growing season, so soak deeply once or twice a week in a Dubai summer.
Winter: Reduce watering; rain and an occasional soak are enough.
Establishment: Water deeply and regularly through the first season while the roots establish.
Soil: A wide range of soils: NC State records clay, loam, sand and shallow rocky ground, acid to alkaline, from very dry to occasionally wet.
Feeding: Feed in the growing season, from spring into early summer, since NC State records that it needs fertiliser to perform.
Pruning: Cut plumes before the seed ripens and cut the whole clump to the base in late winter. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection, because the blade margins are razor-sharp, and bin all cuttings rather than dumping them. Remove dead material to reduce the flammability of the clump.
Planting: Plant October to March in full sun, about 3 m from the next plant, in managed beds only.
Pests: Generally trouble-free

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Planting it at the edge of open land, a wadi or a verge. Seeds are wind-borne and can travel far from the clump.
Letting plumes ripen and shatter. Cut them while they are in bloom, before seed sets.
Siting it beside a path, pool deck or play area. The blade margins are razor-sharp.
Under-watering it because it is drought tolerant. NC State notes that it needs abundant water and fertiliser in the growing season.
Choosing it for a small garden. A mature clump reaches 1.8 to 3.7 m and up to about 2 m across, so use a compact cultivar or a different grass.

Extra notes

Good to know

The genus name Cortaderia comes from the Argentine Spanish cortadera, 'cutter', after its razor-sharp leaf margins.
Cal-IPC notes that the plants are dioecious and that female plants produce the characteristic feathery plumes.
Weeds Australia records seed travelling up to 25 km by wind or water and a declared-weed status in the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania.
NC State lists compact cultivars: 'Pumila' at 4 to 6 feet, 'Jet Streams' at 3 to 5 feet and 'Rose Feder' with silvery-rose plumes.

Pros

Dramatic silver-white plumes rising a metre or more above the foliage
Highly salt tolerant and drought tolerant, per NC State Extension
Rapid growth builds a large clump quickly
Compact cultivars such as 'Pumila' suit smaller spaces
Plumes dry well and stay attractive until mid-winter

Cons

Invasive in several countries: Cal-IPC rates it High, with up to 100,000 seeds per plume
Razor-sharp leaf edges make it a poor choice near paths or play areas
Dry clumps are highly flammable, according to NC State
Wants abundant water and feeding in the growing season, so it is not low input
A very large plant that needs about 3 m of space and an annual cut-back

FAQ

Common questions

Is pampas grass invasive?

In several countries, yes. Cal-IPC rates it High in California, where it is established on dunes, bluffs and in the Mojave Desert, and Weeds Australia says it is declared in the ACT, South Australia and Tasmania. We found no UAE record of naturalisation, but its seed is wind-borne and a single plume can carry up to 100,000 seeds.

Does pampas grass suit a Dubai garden?

It tolerates salt, sand and drought, which fits the setting, but it needs abundant water and feeding in the growing season, has razor-sharp blades and is highly flammable when dry. Use it as a single, managed specimen with plumes cut before seed ripens.

How do I stop it seeding?

Cut the plumes while they are still in bloom, before the seed ripens, and bin them rather than dumping them. Then cut the whole clump to the base in late winter and wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection.

How big does it get, and is there a smaller form?

NC State gives 6 to 12 feet tall (about 1.8 to 3.7 m) and 4 to 6.75 feet across. Compact cultivars such as 'Pumila' (4 to 6 feet) and 'Jet Streams' (3 to 5 feet) suit smaller spaces, though they still carry the plume and seed issue.

What can I plant instead of pampas grass?

For height and movement, a sterile clone of Vetiver or the burgundy Purple fountain grass 'Rubrum' are better-behaved. For a UAE native with a soft, arching habit, use Desert grass.

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