(Pink) Pampas Grass

(Cortaderia Selloana and Cjubata) Both species of Pampas Grass were extensively planted in domestic and commercial landscapes in the mid 1900s, during the initial boom of the ‘low maintenance’ garden, but have since become major invasive weeds due to their free-seeding nature and the indiscriminate dumping of garden wastes in bushland and along roadsides. Native of many regions of South America, both species form large, dense tussocks several metres high, with flower spikes and seed heads many metres higher again. Their leaves may be 2m in length and are quite sharp, making it difficult to cut clumps back. Plants are female only but they produce viable seed without fertilisation. Seeds may be wind-blown for many kilometres to establish new colonies.