Ornamental · Poaceae
Pampas Grass
Cortaderia selloana
Few plants put on a bigger show than a pampas grass clump in full plume, but those silver feathers ride on razor-sharp leaves.
Full sun
Every 7–14 days
USDA 7–10
6–12 ft · 1.8–3.7 m
Overview
Pampas grass is the tall, feather-plumed grass you see anchoring big borders and screening views. It hails from South America, takes its botanical name Cortaderia selloana, and belongs to the grass family. Once it settles in, it asks for almost nothing, shrugging off drought, heat, salt spray, and wind with ease.
The draw is the plumes. Each clump throws up a fountain of silver-white feathers in late summer that hold their shape well into winter, riding on arching foliage that can reach over 12 feet across. That same foliage carries a real catch, though: every blade is edged with fine, razor-sharp serrations that cut bare skin on contact.
There is a second catch worth knowing before you plant. In mild-winter regions along the Pacific coast and in Hawaii, pampas grass self-seeds into a serious invasive, crowding out native plants and feeding wildfire. Where it behaves, it is a bold, low-effort feature plant; where it doesn't, it is one to skip.
Care
The short version: give it full sun and well-drained ground, water it only while it establishes, and cut the whole clump down hard each late winter, gloves and long sleeves on every time.
Light
Pampas grass wants full sun to plume well and stand up straight. It will tolerate partial sun or light shade, but in too little light the clump grows loose and floppy and the famous feathers thin out.
Water
Water a new plant regularly through its first season to get the roots down. After that it is highly drought, heat, salt, and wind tolerant and needs little to no extra water. Steer clear of wet, poorly drained spots, which shorten its life and invite winter damage.
Soil
This grass takes almost any well-drained soil, from clay to loam to sand to rocky ground, anywhere from dry to medium moisture. It handles a wide pH band, roughly 5.5 to 8.5, so soil chemistry is rarely the limiting factor.
Temperature
It is hardy across a broad range, from about 10°F to 100°F (-12°C to 38°C), which covers zones 7 through 10. Cold below that line risks killing the crown, while the heat at the top of the range bothers it not at all.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity suits it, so there is no figure to manage. Air movement matters more than moisture in the air, and an exposed, breezy site is exactly what this wind-tolerant grass prefers.
Feeding
Feed lightly with a balanced general-purpose fertilizer in spring during the growing season. An established clump needs very little, so going heavy on the feed only pushes soft, weak growth.
Pruning
Cut the whole clump back hard to about 1 to 2 feet (30 to 60 cm) in late winter, before new growth starts, using hedge shears, loppers, or power pruners. Always work in gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, and eye protection, because the serrated blades cut skin with ease.
Repotting
Pampas grass is rarely repotted and lives for years in one place. Move or divide it only when it outgrows its space, the center of the clump goes dead and thatchy, or the crowded crown starts lifting out of the soil.
Size & spacing
A mature clump stands roughly 6 to 12 feet (1.8 to 3.7 m) tall and spreads about 4 to 7 feet (120 to 205 cm) wide. Give it plenty of open room, well clear of paths and play areas, so no one brushes the sharp leaves in passing.
When to plant
Pampas grass is a warm-region perennial for zones 7 to 10. Set new plants out in spring so they can root through the growing season, watch the silver plumes rise from late summer into fall, then cut the clump to the ground in late winter before fresh growth starts.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: spring
- Harvest: late summer to fall, plumes persist into winter
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 7–10
Temperature: down to -18°C
Troubleshooting
Pampas grass rarely fails to a pest or a disease. The two problems that actually matter are the cuts its blades inflict on you and the way it spreads beyond bounds. Both are easy to spot and easy to head off.
New clumps springing up far from where you planted
This is invasive self-seeding, and it is the plant's most serious flaw. One plume can throw well over 100,000 wind-borne seeds in a year, and stray root or rhizome fragments root just as readily in moist ground, so volunteers turn up downwind on disturbed, coastal, or open land. Dig out young crowns whole while they are still small, and cut and bag the plumes before the seed matures rather than composting them or shifting seed-laden soil.
Fix:
- Remove volunteer seedlings while young by digging out the entire crown
- Cut and bag flowering plumes before seeds mature and disperse
- Do not compost plumes or move soil containing seed
Deep, stinging cuts on your hands or arms after handling the plant
The injury comes from the leaves themselves, not from any pest or disease. Every blade carries razor-sharp, finely serrated edges that slice skin the moment you grab a handful, and the cuts run thin, clean, and surprisingly deep. Wear thick gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and eye protection, and cut the clump down with shears or loppers instead of pulling the foliage by hand.
Fix:
- Stop handling bare-skinned and wash and dress any cuts
- Always wear thick gloves, a long-sleeve shirt, long pants, and eye protection
- Cut the clump back with hedge shears, loppers, or power pruners rather than pulling foliage by hand
Toxicity
Good news on poison and a warning on hardware. No part of pampas grass is toxic, and the ASPCA rates it safe for cats, dogs, and horses. The real hazard is physical: the leaf edges are razor-sharp and slice skin like paper, so handle it in gloves and keep pets and children from running through the clump.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats None
Nothing in this grass will poison a cat, so a curious nibble does no chemical harm. The only worry is the blade edge, which can nick the mouth, so steer cats away from chewing the foliage.
Dogs None
Dogs can be around the plant without risk of poisoning. Keep them from charging through the clump, since the serrated leaves can leave thin cuts on a nose or paw.
Horses None
Horses face no toxic threat from pampas grass. A grazing horse could still scrape its lips or tongue on the sharp-edged blades, so a fenced-off clump is the safer setup.
Rabbits Safe
There is no toxin here to trouble a rabbit. The stiff, sharp leaves are simply too coarse and cutting to make good forage, so they will not draw much interest anyway.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can share a pasture with this grass without poisoning. Most leave it alone, put off by the harsh, blade-edged foliage that offers little worth grazing.
Birds Safe
Birds come to no chemical harm and often shelter in the dense plumes. The catch is the same as for everyone else, the edges are sharp, but flying visitors rarely brush against them.
People Safe
No part of the plant is poisonous to handle or be near. The real danger is mechanical, since the razor-sharp leaf edges cut skin like paper, so wear gloves and long sleeves whenever you work close to it.
Not poisonous, but the sharp-edged leaves can inflict deep cuts on skin. Wear gloves, long sleeves, and eye protection when planting, handling, or pruning, and keep pets and children from running through or chewing the foliage to avoid mouth and skin cuts.
Varieties
Pampas grass comes in a handful of named forms that differ in size, plume color, and leaf markings. These are the ones you are most likely to find.
Pumila
A compact dwarf that tops out around 4 to 6 feet and takes the cold better, which makes it the most widely planted choice.
Rosea
Trades the usual silvery-white plumes for a soft pink tint.
Sunningdale Silver
A tall, vigorous selection prized for its large, full, silvery-white plumes.
Silver Comet
A variegated form striped white and green along the foliage.
Gold Band
A variegated form with gold-banded leaves striped yellow and green.
How to propagate
You can multiply pampas grass two ways, but only one keeps the showy plumes true. Whichever you pick, the sharp leaves mean gloves and long sleeves are not optional.
DivisionModerate
Late winter to early spring · 1-2 growing seasons
Division is the preferred way to multiply pampas grass, done in late winter to early spring, and it is the only method that keeps the showy female plants true to type. A divided clump takes one to two growing seasons to settle in and fill out. The crowns are dense and the leaves are sharp, so wear gloves and protective clothing before you start cutting one apart.
SeedEasy
Spring · 1 growing season to first flowering in favorable climates
The plant self-seeds with abandon, and in a kind climate a spring sowing can flower within a single growing season. The drawback is that seedlings come out variable, with many plain, less-showy male plants in the mix. Skip seed entirely wherever pampas grass is invasive, since you would only be feeding the spread.
Myths
All large, feathery pampas grass is the same plant.
The showy ornamental most gardeners plant is Cortaderia selloana, and it is a different species from jubata grass, or purple pampas grass, which is Cortaderia jubata. Jubata grass is the far more aggressive invader, setting seed without any pollination and overrunning coastal and redwood-forest land. The two look almost identical and share the same sharp serrated leaves, but jubata grass clings to cool, foggy coasts while selloana also shrugs off hot, dry inland heat.
Pampas grass is poisonous to pets.
The ASPCA lists Cortaderia selloana as non-toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, and it carries no poison at all. The only real danger is mechanical injury from the razor-sharp leaf edges, not anything a pet could be poisoned by.