Pampas Grass, also called Cortaderia, reaches a height of eight to 15 feet, and can be recognized from a distance by its long, beautiful, silky flower heads. The flower heads can be white, yellow, pink, or purple, and stand tall enough to make a beautiful screen for unsightly areas. Although considered a perennial, it is not hardy in many climates, and growers in these regions have found it best planted as an annual. The plant is fast-growing and prefers full sun.
Seeds should be sown in early spring and by mid August the lovely sky plumes will be in full bloom. Pampas grass does well in most soils and is drought-resistant. In warm climates, it is a perennial and has strong invasive tendencies that can easily become problematic. Due to the thick, tangled mass of undergrowth it creates, thinning can be difficult task. Pampas grass grows in dense, thick tussocks, and its thin saw-tooth leaves will cut unprotected hands and arms; growers in many regions find it simpler to cut the thicket back to the ground every year. The tall grass produces large amounts of pollen and can be a real problem for allergy sufferers.