14 Types of Pampas Grass Varieties With Pictures

Cortaderia selloana is a species of flowering plant in the Poaceae family. It is referred to by the common name pampas grass, and is native to southern South America. Pampas grass is named for the Pampas plains, where it is endemic. It is cultivated as an ornamental in warm parts of the world and is considered an invasive species in some areas outside its native range, including New Zealand, South Africa, and the southwestern United States.

Pampas grass is a perennial plant and stalks can reach 4 metres (13 feet) in height. The long sharped-edged leaves fold at the midrib and form a dense tussock (tufted bunch). The leaves are long and narrow, forming dense clumps at the base of the plant. The grass usually has large, fluffy and feathery plumes that resemble tufts of cotton candy. They can be white, pink, silvery-gray, or even purple, depending on the variety. The plants too can either be male or female, with the female plants having showier plumes.

Pampas needs room to grow, and it easily self-seeds. It is generally propagated from seeds, but it can also be divided from an existing clump. Over the years, numerous cultivars of Pampas grass have been developed, offering a range of sizes, colors, and growth habits to suit different garden preferences. Let’s look at some of the varieties of Pampas grass and how they look like.

List of Pampas Grass Varieties

• Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Rosea’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Silver Comet’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Gold Band’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Sunningdale Silver’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Andes Silver’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘White Feather’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Monvin’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Aureolineata’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Sundale’ or Sundale Silver Pampas
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Patagonia’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Fairy Tails’
• Cortaderia selloana ‘Andean’

Description And Pictures

Pumila Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’, commonly known as Dwarf Pampas Grass, is a dwarf variety. Mature plants will reach 4-6 feet tall and spread to fill a 3-4 feet area. The plumes of creamy white flowers are held on upright stalks from late summer through fall. It is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 6 to 10. No serious insect or disease problems. Invasively self-seeds in some warm winter areas.

Rosea Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana ‘Rosea’ or the Pink Pampas Grass, is characterized by its lush green, grass-like foliage and huge, fluffy plumes that are blushed pink. It forms a huge clump with a fountain-like habit. It is a fast-growing plant that can take up to three years to reach maturity, growing to a height of 94-117 inches and a spread of 35-70 inches. It thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 8-9 and prefers full sun to partial shade along with well-draining, sandy or loamy soil.

Silver Comet Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana ‘Silver Comet’ or the Silver Comet Pampas Grass, is a smaller, finer-textured version of the species, reaching up to 4 feet tall. It features white longitudinal variegation, mainly on the edge of the leaf. Like other varieties of Pampas Grass, ‘Silver Comet’ produces large, fluffy plumes that emerge in late summer or early fall. These plumes are creamy white in color. It is relatively low-maintenance once established.

Gold Band Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana ‘Gold Band” or simply Gold Band Pampas Grass, is characterized by golden or yellow stripes along the leaf blades. It is a slow-growing evergreen grass that can grow up to 6 feet tall. The plumes emerge in late summer or early fall and are usually creamy white in color. It is hardy in USDA zones 8-9 and prefers full sun to partial shade.

Sunningdale Silver Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana ‘Sunningdale Silver’ is a robust, evergreen grass with tall, upright stalks emerging from a central clump. It reaches heights of 6 to 10 feet (1.8 to 3 meters) tall. It usually has silvery-white plumes that emerge in late summer and can last well into winter. It has the potential to be invasive in some regions due to its prolific seeding and aggressive growth.

Andes Silver Pampas

‘Andes Silver’ is named for its foliage, which features silver-gray leaves. It produces large, fluffy plumes that emerge in late summer or early fall. The plumes are creamy white in color. It is hardy in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10, and ‘Andes Silver’ is a wonderful choice for adding a bold focal point or backdrop to your garden.

White Feather Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana ‘White Feather’ is a striking variety that grow to impressive size and beautiful white plumes. It is a dense, clump-forming perennial grass that can grow up to 3 meters tall, featuring evergreen, arching, sharply toothed blue-green leaves that are about 2.5 meters long. Upright stems bearing large, plume-like panicles, up to 90cm long, of white spikelets appear in late summer and early autumn.

Cortaderia selloana ‘Monvin”

Cortaderia selloana ‘Monvin” has leaves that are green with longitudinal yellow stripes. The plant reaches a height of 4 to 5 feet, with plumes rising to 6 feet tall. The plumes emerge in late summer or early fall, with shades of silvery white. Monvin’ is usually sold under the trademarked name of SUN STRIPE. No serious insect or disease problems. Invasively self-seeds in some warm winter areas.

Aureolineata Pampas Grass

The leaves of ‘Aureolineata’ are long and slender, forming dense clumps at the base of the plant. Each leaf is adorned with bold, golden-yellow stripes that run along its length. This variety is a compact and slow-growing evergreen plant that can reach up to 6 feet in height. It produces golden-tan to white plumes in spring. This plant is also resistant to deer browsing.

Fairy Tails Pampas Grass

With a height of only about 3 feet (0.9 meters), ‘Fairy Tails’ is perfect for smaller gardens, containers, or landscape spaces where space is limited. Its slender, green foliage forms neat clumps at the base of the plant. The Plumes are white, usually emerge in late summer or early fall and are large and soft.

Alternatives to Pampas Grass

Pampas Grass