Pampas grass(Cortaderia selloana) is one of the most impressive ornamental grasses. Extremely decorative and easy to grow, it looks great both as a solitaire and an element of a garden composition. We advise what thecultivation of pampas grasslooks like in the Polish climate and what requirements must be met for this plant to delight with its appearance. We also present the bestvarieties of pampas grassfor growing in gardens.
Pampas grass - Cortaderia selloana
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Pampas grass - description of the appearance
Pampas grass(Cortaderia selloana), also known as silvery grass or cortaderia, is a herbaceous perennial plant from the Poaceae family. It comes from South America, where it grows on inhospitable steppes called pampas.
Pampas grass is grownonly as an ornamental plant. Under favorable conditions it reaches a height of 2.5-3 m. The leaves of the cortaderia are stiff, lanceolate, very long (up to 1 m) and arched. Depending on the variety, they can be dull green or striped, with a white or creamy longitudinal stripe.
In autumn, huge,fluffy panicles of pampas grass inflorescencesappear on the tops of long (up to 3 m high), strong shoots, remaining on the plant for many months. The inflorescences themselves can be up to 1 m long and come in a variety of colors. The most popular arevarieties of pampas grasswith silver, white and pink inflorescences.
Pampas grass is a dioecious plantDue to abundant flowering, the female specimens are much more ornamental than the male ones.
Pampas grass - cultivation and requirements
Growing pampas grassis best done in sunny and wind-sheltered places, preferably with a south or south-west exposure. The sunlit growing position is conducive to the rapid growth and lush flowering of pampas grass. The best substrate for this species is a soil rich in calcium, fairly fertile and well-drained.
Pampas grass will withstand a short-term droughtbut not overflow. Stagnant water leads to root rot and plant death. Therefore, an ideal place for growing pampas grass will be a place with a slight slope of the terrain. Then, free flowing rain will not cause stagnation of water.
Pampas grass is not highly frost resistant(it belongs to the plant frost resistance zone 7B), therefore it requires appropriate cover at the end of autumn.Without protection for the winter, he can only stay in the north-west corner of Poland (near Szczecin).
Pampas grass - Cortaderia selloana
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Pampas grass - planting
Pampas planting siteshould be carefully prepared beforehand: remove weeds, dig the soil, add compost or composted manure.
Before planting pampas grasswe have to dig holes at the bottom of which we lay a drainage layer, e.g. made of coarse sand, gravel or by pouring expanded clay.
Pampas grass is planted a little deeperthan it was growing in a pot. The root collar should be slightly recessed to protect the plants from freezing. In the case of autumn planting, it is worth sprinkling a layer of mulch around the plant (e.g. garden bark) to additionally protect the plant.Magnificent clumps of cortaderia look great when planted solo as a solitaire, as well as in naturalistic compositions against coniferous and deciduous trees shrubs.
Pampas grass - care
casting, fertilizing and pruning are the basic care treatments that pampas grass requires.
pampas grass can withstand short-term droughts easily , but for its proper development it should be provided with slightly moist soil and regular watering. Especially in June and July, when the plant grows intensively, it requires increased doses of water. To maintain moisture in the substrate, it is advisable to mulch the soil, e.g. with pine bark.
Pampas grass - Cortaderia selloana
Fig. pixabay.com
Fertilization of pampas grassis performed twice a season - in May and July. It is best to use a multi-component mineral fertilizer with an increased nitrogen content. Every 3-4 years it is recommended to use organic fertilization, manure or compost.
Pampas grass - pruning
In order for the plant to look nice, it is necessaryto trim the pampas grass In late winter or early spring (February to April), remove dried and diseased leaves, thin the center of the clump and remove last year's shoots. Every 2-3 years it is worth cutting leaves at a height of 15-20 cm. After pruning, you can feed the grass with a multi-component mineral fertilizer.
Every 3-4 yearsrejuvenate a clump of pampas grassTo do this, dig up and remove about a third of the plants. In this way, we thin the grass and provide it with better conditions for development.
Note!Pampas grass leaves are very sharp. Therefore, when carrying out care treatments for this plant, it is worth wearing gloves and clothing with long sleeves, and also protecting the eyes. Pampas grass has very thick stems, so you can use a hedge trimmer or strong garden shears to cut them.
Pampas grass - wintering
When winter comes, pampas grass is still blooming. To prevent it from freezing and starting to rot, we need to protect it properly.For this purposetie all leaves uptying them in the so-called mulch. We mulch the soil around with a thick layer (about 20 cm) of dry leaves, peat or straw, make a mound at the base of the mulch and then cover the whole with agrotextile.
Pampas grass - reproduction
Pampas grass can be propagated by dividing a clump or sowing seeds. The first method is less labor intensive and allows you to get flowering plants faster.
Propagation of pampas grass by dividing the clump- this is the easiest way to reproduce plants. The treatment should be performed in the spring. We dig out the clump and divide it into several parts, which we plant immediately in a permanent place. The larger the seedling, the faster it will open up and bloom.
Propagation of pampas grass by sowing seeds- it is quite easy to propagate grass by sowing seeds. However, it should be remembered that the plants obtained by this method will not bloom until the 4-5th year of cultivation.In addition, 50% of them will be male specimens - flowering much less magnificently than female ones.
Pampas grass seedsare sown in March / April. It is recommended to stratify them in advance (refrigerate for about 1 month). For sowing, you need flat containers and a substrate that is a sand-peat mixture. The seeds germinate quickly - after a dozen or so days, we can see seedlings. When the plants produce 4-6 true leaves, we transplant them into individual pots. In the first year, the young plants are stored in an unheated greenhouse or a foil tunnel, well-protected against cold.
At the end of May, when the risk of frost has passed,plant pampas grass permanentlyHardening the plants a few weeks before transplanting outside. For this purpose, we put them outside for several hours, gradually extending this time to the whole day.
Pampas grass - Cortaderia selloana
Fig. pixabay.com
Pampas grass - recommended varieties
You can sell at least a dozen interesting varieties of pampas grass.
Pampas grass 'Pumila'is an interesting variety with a slightly limited growth, making it suitable for smaller gardens. Its leaves are only 80 cm long, and during flowering the plant reaches a height of about 1.5 m. The color of the inflorescences of this variety of pampas grass can be described as cream or silvery. Otherpampas grass varieties with silver inflorescencesare: 'Sunningdale Silver', 'Silver Fountain', 'Elegans'.
Another popular variety ispampas grass' Rosea ' , which grows to about 3 m tall during flowering, forming fluffy, pale pink flowers. Otherpink-blooming pampas grass varietiesare: 'Rose' 'Plume', 'Pink Feather'.
Also notepampas flowering varieties in white : 'White Feather' and 'Weiser Feder', as well asvarieties with colored stripessuch as: pampas grass 'Aureolineata', 'Albolineata' and Cool Ice.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
