Life Span
Annual or Biennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Grass
  
Grass
  
Origin
South America, Micronesia, New Zealand
  
Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Madagascar
  
Types
Silver pampas grass, Uruguayan pampas grass, Purple pampas grass
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Lawn
  
Grassland, Sandy areas
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11
  
8-11
  
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 7
  
12 - 8
  
Sunset Zone
H1, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Cushion/Mound-forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Pink, Violet, White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
  
Burgundy, Pink, Rose
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Light Pink, Tan, White
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
  
Blue Green, Gray Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
  
Blue Green, Gray Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Tan
  
Purple, Gray Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Long and slender with very sharp edges
  
Grass like
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Summer, Fall
  
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
  
Cuttings, Rooted stem cutting
  
Plant Maintenance
Low
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Needs watering once a week, Reduce water once established, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
  
Needs less watering
  
In Summer
Lots of watering
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Average Water
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Type
Loam
  
Loam, Sand
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial Sun
  
Pruning
Prune in late winter, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
  
No need to prune, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
  
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
  
Disease free, Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
  
Drought, Shade areas
  
Flowers
Yes
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
Yes
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Fine
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds, Rats, Snakes
  
Not Available
  
Allergy
Itchiness, Skin cuts
  
Not Available
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
  
Bog Garden, Ground Cover
  
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Insignificant
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
  
Not Available
  
Other Uses
Fibre, Food for animals, Used in paper industry
  
Not Available
  
Used As Indoor Plant
Insignificant
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
  
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Bedding Plant, Cutflower, Edging, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
CORTADERIA
  
MELINIS nerviglumis
  
Common Name
Pampas Grass
  
Ruby Grass, Zizka
  
In Hindi
Pampas grass
  
Zizka
  
In German
Pampasgrass
  
Zizka
  
In French
herbe de la pampa
  
Zizka
  
In Spanish
cortaderas
  
Zizka
  
In Greek
γρασίδι Πάμπα
  
Zizka
  
In Portuguese
grama de Pampas
  
Zizka
  
In Polish
Pampas trawy
  
Zizka
  
In Latin
Pampas herba
  
Žižka
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Vascular plant
  
Tracheophyta
  
Class
Liliopsida
  
Magnoliopsida
  
Order
Poales
  
Poales
  
Family
Poaceae
  
Poaceae
  
Genus
Cortaderia
  
Melinis
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Tribe
Danthonieae
  
Paniceae
  
Subfamily
Danthonioideae
  
Panicoideae