Cortaderia selloana Rosea - Pink Pampas Grass

IMPORTANT: for the preservation of our natural ecosystems, we have removed this plant from our catalogue as it is considered invasive. Therefore, it is no longer available for sale.

Cortaderia selloana 'Rosea', better known as Pampas Grass, is a pink version of this imposing evergreen grass. It produces remarkable feathery and silky panicles in late summer, with a lovely shade of light pink, which take on very soft silver reflections under the low autumn light. This fairly hardy perennial, resistant to wind, is easy to grow in full sun, in ordinary soil, even poor, occasionally dry and saline.

Cortaderia selloana, also known as Gynerium or Cortaderia argentea, is a large and highly ornamental grass belonging to the Poaceae family. It is native to South America, specifically Argentina and Brazil, where it abundantly colonises the edges of roads and paths, stream banks, and fallow land by self-seeding. This plant is characterised by its great adaptability to the soil it grows in, even tolerating the semi-arid conditions of subtropical climates. It is a dioecious plant, meaning that there are male and female plants.

'Rosea' stands out from the typical species mainly because of its light pink flowering, but also because of a slightly less imposing habit. This grass forms a tuft of linear, evergreen foliage in mild climates, with sharp, tough, and rustling leaves, reaching a height of 1.80m (6ft) and a width of 80cm (32in) to 1 metre (3 feet), with a slightly arched habit. The leaves are bluish-green-grey. Its immense flower heads appear in late summer, in August-September, at the centre of the shrub, in the form of sumptuous pink-silvery feathery panicles, measuring 30 to 50 cm (12 to 20in) in length, which remain on the plant at least until November, fading over time. They are borne by sturdy, cylindrical stems that are highly resistant to wind. When both male and female individuals are present, the female plants produce a large quantity of seeds that are dispersed by the wind.

This large grass has been ubiquitous in our gardens since the 1960s. The only point that can perhaps be emphasised is the misuse that has been made of it. It is true that it looks a bit ridiculous when planted all alone, in the middle of a lawn, while it is so beautiful when used en masse or in a flower bed, among bushes. Cortaderia selloana Rosea indeed forms large clumps with a very exotic appearance, but it should not be planted in the garden without taking the time to reflect; its motto could well be: "I'm here, I'm staying!" This undemanding grass has the advantage of adapting to all gardens, except perhaps the smallest ones. Designed for large beds, its strong presence brings beautiful structure and a lot of grace, if given enough space to express itself. Plant it among asters, behind chrysanthemums or perpetual roses, and let it grow and expand. In a wild and tousled or modern and streamlined setting, watch it play with the wind and bend under rain showers. In urban areas, Pampas Grass blends in well with its pastel colours, rounding off corners without clashing. Magnificent when planted near water, they accompany vernonias in well-drained soil.

Attention: Pampas Grass is invasive in certain regions. Escaping from gardens, it colonises fallow land, sandy areas, and wetlands causing significant ecological disruption. If you live in an affected region, we recommend not planting it. It can be replaced by many other architectural grasses, such as Miscanthus.