Ornamental grass
How to grow pampas grass
Cortaderia selloana
Plant pampas grass in April or May in full sun and free-draining soil, with at least 2 m of clear space around it. Buy a named female cultivar such as 'Pumila' or 'Sunningdale Silver', because seed-raised plants often give thin plumes. The crown is hardy in dry ground but rots in winter wet, so drainage matters far more than feeding, which it barely needs.
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy (in free-draining soil)
- Position
- Full sun
- Soil
- Free-draining, fertile
- Ideal pH
- 6.0 to 7.5
- Water
- Low
- Feeding
- Light feeder
Sowing and planting pampas grass
WhenPlant Apr to May; plumes Aug to Oct; cut back Feb to Mar
Starting off
Plant pot-grown stock Apr to May only, so the crown is established before its first winter; autumn planting on heavy soil rots the crown. Buy a named cultivar, since seed-raised plants are often male with thin plumes. Propagate by dividing the clump with a spade or axe in Apr, taking outer pieces with roots and cutting the foliage to 30 cm; wear gauntlets and long sleeves, as the leaf edges are razor-sharp.
Spacing and planting
C. selloana reaches 2.5 to 3 m tall by 2 m wide in flower; 'Pumila' stays at 1.5 m by 1 m and 'Sunningdale Silver' 3 m by 2 m. Plant 2 m from paths and other plants, in a hole twice the pot width with grit on heavy soil and the crown level with the surface. 'Pumila' manages in a 60 cm tub for a few years; the species is not a container plant.
Varieties worth growing
- C. selloana 'Pumila'
- The one for most gardens: a dense 1.5 m clump with upright cream plumes held well clear of the leaves, and the hardiest of the group.
- C. selloana 'Sunningdale Silver'
- The classic big pampas, 3 m in flower, with large silver-white plumes on strong stems that stand up to wind and rain.
- C. selloana 'Rosea'
- Plumes flushed pink as they open, fading to buff. As large as the species, so it needs the same room.
- C. selloana 'Aureolineata' (Gold Band)
- Leaves edged in yellow, so it earns its space before the plumes arrive; more compact at about 2 m.
- Cortaderia richardii (toe toe)
- A New Zealand relative that flowers earlier, in July, with arching one-sided cream plumes. It likes more moisture than C. selloana.
Pampas grass month by month
Timings are for central England. Allow two weeks later in the north and on cold, heavy soil.
- January
Nothing to do. Leave the foliage on as winter cover for the crown.
- February
From late in the month, shear dead foliage to 30 to 40 cm or comb it out with a rake. Check the clump for hibernating hedgehogs first.
- March
Finish cutting back before new growth starts. Remove last year's plume stems at the base.
- April
Plant pot-grown stock. Divide old clumps. A light seaweed meal dressing on thin soil only.
- May
Last month to plant. Water new plants weekly in dry spells.
- June
Water first-year plants in dry weather. Established clumps need nothing.
- July
Nothing to do in the ground. Water 'Pumila' in tubs.
- August
Plume stems emerge. Keep paths clear of the leaf edges.
- September
Plumes at their best. Cut for drying once fully open, on a dry day.
- October
Display continues. Leave everything standing.
- November
Nothing to do. Do not cut back before winter.
- December
Nothing to do.
Feeding pampas grass
One of the least hungry plants in the directory. In the ground it needs no fertiliser once established, and feeding gives long floppy leaves and fewer plumes. The only cases for feeding are thin sandy soil and a plant in a tub.
Low, a light spring feed; over-feeding gives floppy growth.
Feeding plan
April or May, at planting
Garden compost
None on fertile soil. On heavy soil add grit, not compost, to the planting area; on pure sand a spadeful of compost in the backfill is enough.
April, thin sandy or chalky soil only
50 g/m², the bottom of the label range, scattered round the outside of the clump and watered in. Once a year. On ordinary soil, none.
First summer after planting
1 g per litre of water as a drench, 10 g in a 10 litre can, every 3 weeks from June to August while the roots establish. Not needed after the first year.
April and June, 'Pumila' in a tub
1 ml per litre of pot volume, the bottom of the label range: about 80 ml (five tablespoons) on the surface of a 60 cm tub holding roughly 80 litres, watered in.
Signs to watch
Floppy, overlong leaves and plumes that lean
Excess nitrogen or rich soil
No feeding at all, lean free-draining ground
Few or no plumes on a mature plant
Shade, a seed-raised male, or too much nitrogen
Full sun, no feed, replace with a named cultivar
Pests, diseases and problems
The centre of a young plant turns brown and soft and pulls out in spring
Crown rot from winter wet, usually after autumn planting on heavy soil
Plant in April or May only, with grit worked into heavy ground and the crown level with the surface. Keep wet mulch off the crown itself; a deep, dry mulch such as straw protects a young plant in its first winter.
Much of the foliage brown and dead after a hard winter
Frost and cold wind scorch on the evergreen leaves; the crown is usually alive
Shear to 30 to 40 cm in March, wearing gauntlets and goggles. New growth comes from the base by May.
No plumes on a plant that has been in for a year or two
Youth; pampas takes two to three years from planting to flower well
Wait. Keep it in full sun and do not feed it, which only delays flowering further.
A hollow, dead middle with live growth only round the edge
Age, and years of dead foliage packed into the centre
Divide in April, replanting outer pieces with roots attached, and comb or cut out dead leaves every year from then on.
Plumes turn brown and soggy and break up soon after opening
Heavy rain and wind on open plumes, worse in an exposed site
Cut some plumes for drying as soon as they have fully emerged in September, and choose stiff-stemmed 'Pumila' or 'Sunningdale Silver' for windy gardens.
Pruning
Pruning and care
Cut back in Feb to Mar before new growth, shearing the dead foliage to 30 to 40 cm with a hedge trimmer and removing the old plumes; wear gloves and goggles. Alternatively comb out dead leaves with a rake and leave the live foliage. Never burn off the clump, which damages the crown and is a fire risk near fences. Cut plumes in Sep for drying. Old clumps with a dead centre are divided in Apr, discarding
Good to knowCut back or comb out the dead foliage in late winter (wear gloves, the leaves cut). Very large, so give it room.
Growing pampas grass in pots
Only 'Pumila' is worth trying in a container, and only for a few years: a 60 cm tub of loam-based compost with a quarter by volume of grit, in full sun. Water through summer when the top of the compost is dry, and keep the tub on feet from October to March so the crown never sits wet. Feed with seaweed meal only. Position it where nobody brushes past, because the leaf edges cut skin. When the clump fills the tub, usually after three or four years, plant it out in April rather than trying to divide and repot it. The full-size cultivars are not container plants.
Pampas grass: common questions
When do you cut back pampas grass in the UK?
Cut it back in late February or March, before new growth starts. Shear the dead foliage to 30 to 40 cm with a hedge trimmer, or comb the dead leaves out with a rake and leave the live ones. Wear thick gloves, long sleeves and eye protection, and check for hedgehogs before you start.
Should I burn pampas grass to tidy it?
No. Burning was the old method, but it damages the crown, kills wildlife sheltering in the clump and is a real fire risk near fences, sheds and hedges. Cutting or combing in late winter does the same job safely.
How long does pampas grass take to flower?
Two to three years from planting for a named cultivar. Seed-raised plants can take longer and may never produce good plumes, which is why it pays to buy a named female form. Full sun and no fertiliser bring flowering forward; shade and nitrogen hold it back.
Sources
Growing information on this page was checked against these references in November 2026. Feeding rates are Dr Forest label rates.