Maintain the Grass of the Pampas

A magnificent, large-scale grass, the grass of the pampas, adorns with its wavy presence and feathery inflorescences the center of a lawn or an open corner of the garden. Let's see how to maintain it so that it remains splendid for many years.

Get to know the pampas grass better

Cortaderia selloana, better known as 'Pampa Grass', is a large grass native to the temperate zones of South America. The plant can reach nearly 3 meters in height. It forms a large clump of about 2 meters spreading with linear leaves, thin, green slightly arched and sharp edges.

At the end of the summer silver feathery inflorescences, gradually tingling with pink or purple, emerge from the center of the tuft. They continue long months floating gracefully in the air.

How to maintain the grass of the pampas?

Once properly installed this sturdy plant does not need any watering or fertilizer. Only a few large operations will serve to make it look good.

Bring sharp pruning shears and protect yourself with gloves so you do not cut yourself with the leaves.

In early winter, cut the flower stalks at their base, you can keep them in dry bunches. To do this, dry the head upside down and spray them with hairspray.

Then remove all the faded leaves, then cut the leaves that you estimate in excess to maintain a beautiful silhouette to the plant;

If you live in a cool area, tie the leaves together to form a straight tuft so you can easily cover it with a wintering veil or make a coat around it with dry dead leaves. This one will then be maintained by a fence placed all around the plant.

In spring it will be enough to remove the protections so that your plant regains all its vigor!

Tip: in the sweetest areas like the south of France or the Breton coast, no need for protection.

The grass of the pampas, invasive plant

The purple pampas grass is considered an invasive species; It has established itself in many regions thanks to its exceptional adaptability and its particularly efficient reproduction. Indeed, a single plant can disseminate seeds over a radius of 25 km. It monopolizes the site and captures light and nutrients to the detriment of species already present. Some municipalities of Morbihan, Finistere or Ile and Vilaine are trying to destroy it. It is the pure and hard pulling of the plant and its roots then the sheeting of the zone so that residues of roots do not develop.

The size of the inflorescences is a gentler way of fighting, but only against the spread of the species. The flower stems will be cut off as soon as they develop before they have time to go to seed.

Did you know?

A large tuft of purple pampas grass from the pampas can serve as a refuge for many animals, including hedgehogs. Go easy on size operations and do not put fire especially as it is sometimes recommended!

Part 2: What Grasses We Can Plant to Decorate Our Garden

The massifs entirely composed of grasses are also of the most beautiful effect. To make your decor a success, place a tall grass such as Miscanthus 'Giganteus' with deep green foliage in the bottom of the massif. Then alternate grasses with soft and dancing port, like Stipa tenuissima, which will give life to the heart of your massif to erect species like the Helictotrichon. And for an explosion of color, opt for a Pennisetum 'Fireworks' with exceptional foliage variegated with green, pink and purple-red, whose intensity varies depending on the sun.

Tip: Avoid planting grasses in straight lines, prefer a staggered planting, to the effect much more natural!

A giant grass: a show alone!

Those who love the spectacular will see their desire filled with giant grasses, whose inflorescences sometimes culminate up to 4 m high. Planted in isolation, these grasses become the real focus of your garden, offering alone a remarkable identity, and noticed!

In this category, the purple pampas grass is undoubtedly the best known with this giant stubble in the form of silky feather dancer swaying more than 2 m from the ground. This giant grass can, however, be an invading strand and seem a little outdated to some.

Purple pampas grass can then turn to the original Miscanthus 'Purpurascens', probably one of the most beautiful varieties of its kind. Standing at nearly 2 m, its green-gray foliage is dyed purple in summer, before turning to coppery orange in autumn. The contrast with its pink and silver spikelets is superb.

Grasses to put the movement in your aisles

With their silky blossoming, waving at the slightest breath of wind, grasses are excellent plants to energize the borders.

The cascades of creamy white feathery ears of Pennisetum villosum or the misty clouds formed by the pink ears of an Eragrostis are thus the most beautiful effect along a garden path.

For a more rustic look, even wild, border your paths of perpetual waves of Calamagrostis acutiflora with long bright yellow panicles or a Stipa ichu. Guaranteed effect!

You'll understand, if grasses are in vogue in our gardens, they deserve it! The extraordinary variety of their foliage, as well as their flowering, allows multiple and lively compositions, far from the frozen massifs of yesteryear. Alone or associated with annuals, they offer a show in perpetual change, which is not about to stop inspiring gardeners, beginners !

Part 1: What Grasses We Can Plant to Decorate Our Garden

Herbs, cereals or bamboos, grasses, or Poaceae, are a large, very variegated family. Very popular in our gardens, the many species of ornamental grasses offer an immense diversity of size, shape, and color that never ceases to amaze.

By the way, in another article, I'm talking about Miscanthus Gracillimus here if you want to know more about a particular grass.

Not to mention the many qualities that make them the friend of all gardeners, even amateurs.

Grasses: plants with cascading qualities

Between blooming flowers and exuberant foliage, deciduous and evergreen grasses provide decorative interest for much of the year, while being very simple to grow. Ornamental grasses such as purple pampas grass are indeed easy hosts in the garden. They are satisfied with an ordinary land and even settle for a poor soil, without requiring fertilizer.

Not content to be undemanding, grasses do not require special maintenance outside a winter size. And between spontaneous seedlings and underground rhizomes (depending on the species), their multiplication is effortless.

The hakonechloa macra or grass of Japan, bears pretty arched tufts, linear leaves

Highly resistant to diseases, grasses are a valuable ally of the gardener because they attract auxiliary insects. Left on the spot, the dried stems of deciduous grasses also form a valuable winter shelter. They can also be cut to provide mulch protection for other non-hardy plants.

With such qualities, the question is not whether to adopt them, but how to choose among all the species of grass!

Give relief to your massifs with grasses

Grasses are ideal plants to animate the massifs. With them, finished decorations frozen and no question of having to staggeringly sow his seedlings or plantations to ensure a continuous decoration.

Associated with annual flowers, the grasses come to underline the brightness of the flowering and ensure the spectacle once this one completed. Focus on contrasts by blending, for example, the golden flowers of Carex 'Aurea' or the almost black purple of an Ophiopogon 'Black Beard'.