Pampas grass, Cortaderia selloana, is a large ornamental grass, forming large, compact tufts of rough-edged leaves from which dense silvery flower panicles emerge on strong stems in summer. It's traditionally grown as a specimen in the middle of a lawn, but also looks good grown in a shrub border among herbaceous perennials. In a large garden it looks outstanding planted in informal drifts among trees, and it makes a good intruder-proof boundary due to its sharp edged evergreen leaves.Its flowers are excellent for drying.
For best results grow Cortaderia selloana in well-drained soil in full sun. Plants are best tidied annually to keep them free from debris which otherwise builds up and chokes out new growth. The plumes can be cut and dried for flower arranging, but are superb left in the garden where they look lovely rimmed with frost in the winter.
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Cortaderia and wildlife
Cortaderia has no particular known value to wildlife in the UK.
