Pampas grass

Cortaderia selloana

Flower name
Pampas grass
Scientific name
Cortaderia selloana
Aliasシロガネヨシ, 白銀葭, セイヨウススキ, 西洋ススキ, pampas grass
Place of originArgentina, Brazil, Chile, South America
Place of floweringCut flowers, flower arrangement, Botanical Gardens, Park
Flowering seasonAugust, September, October

What is Pampas grass

A “ghost” pampas grass that appears to bloom like flowers, with its plumes staying intact as dried flowers even in January and February.

Pampas grass (scientific name: Cortaderia selloana) is a semi-hardy perennial grass from the Poaceae family, native to South America, including Argentina, Brazil, and Chile.
It is also known as Shirogane Yoshi or Seiyou Susuki in Japanese. Pampas grass was introduced to Japan around 1890 (mid-Meiji period) as an ornamental garden plant.

It is a type of reed that grows up to 300 cm tall and resembles Japanese silver grass (Susuki) in appearance. Pampas grass produces long, large flower plumes, measuring 60–70 cm, from August to October.
It is dioecious, with female plants bearing silvery white plumes that resemble fluffy tails, while male plants produce slender, brown plumes. The flower plumes remain on the plant until January or February, giving the appearance of dried flowers, as if they are still blooming. The withered leaves and plumes are pruned in mid-March before new shoots emerge.

Varieties
The silver-white plume variety is called Cortaderia selloana.
The pink-plumed variety is known as Kermesia, and Rosea is a shorter variety with white plumes tinged with pink. Pampas grass is often seen in parks and fields, and its plumes are used as dried flowers or cut flowers.

Etymology
The English name “Pampas grass” refers to the grass (grass) growing in the Pampas (Pampas), a grassland region in its native habitat.
The Japanese name “パンパスグラス” (Pampas grass) is a direct adoption of its English name.
The genus name Cortaderia comes from the Spanish word Cortadera, meaning “cutter.”
The species name selloana honors Friedrich Sellow (1789–1831), a German botanist and naturalist who collected plants in Brazil.

Flower Language
Majestic love
Radiance
Common Name: Pampas Grass
Scientific Name: Cortaderia selloana
Other Names: Shirogane Yoshi, Seiyou Susuki
Classification: Plantae, Angiosperms, Monocots, Poales, Poaceae, Cortaderia
Origin: South America (Argentina, etc.)
Height: 100–300 cm
Leaves: Basal leaves, 2 m long, 0.5–1 cm wide, slender with serrated edges that can easily cut skin.
Dioecious: Female plants have silvery-white fluffy plumes; male plants have slender brown plumes.
Blooming Period: August–October; the plumes can be enjoyed as decorative dried flowers through January and February.
Plume Length: 60–70 cm
Flower Shape: No petals
Flower Color: Female: silvery white; Male: brown
Uses: Garden plants, ornamental in parks, plumes used for cut flowers, dried flowers, and flower arrangements.