Pampas Grass CAPE CORAL
Most people are familiar with the large clumps of lush, grass-like foliage and creamy white feathery plumes of pampas grass. The plumes are white and very showy. The leaves have sharp edges that can slice your skin like a bad paper cut, so plant away from walks, drives and play areas. When handling, wear protective clothing.
This big grass is best for large, spacious areas. It's cold hardy, moderately salt-tolerant and prefers a full sun location. Pampas needs to mature to about 5 feet to begin blooming.
Plant Before growing pampas grass, be sure to put it somewhere in the landscape where it has plenty of room to grow, especially when planting more than one. When mass planting pampas grass, you’ll have to space them about 6-8 feet apart.
Pampas grass enjoys areas with full sun but will tolerate partial shade. It also tolerates a wide range of soil types but prefers moist, well-draining soil. Another plus side to growing pampas grass is its tolerance of drought, wind and salt sprays which is why you commonly see the plant along coastal regions.
Once established, pampas grass care is minimal, requiring little maintenance other than watering in extreme drought. It should also be pruned each year to the ground. This is usually performed in late winter or early spring. Because of the plant’s sharp foliage, the task of pruning should be done with great care using gloves and a long-sleeved shirt.
However, with appropriate measures taken (for clumps well away from homes and buildings), you can also burn the foliage down to the green growth without any harm to the plant. While not required, pampas grass can be given a balanced fertilizer following pruning to help stimulate re-growth.