Pampas Grass care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) wants full sun and a drink about every 10 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11. It is safe to have around pets.
| scientific name | Cortaderia selloana |
|---|---|
| family | Poaceae |
| category | grass |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | full sun |
| water cadence days | 10 |
| min zone | 7 |
| max zone | 11 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | false |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Pampas Grass?
Very drought-tolerant once established.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is high. Its moisture use is medium. Its drought tolerance is low. It wants at least about 35 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 65 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 4.9. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.4. Its fertility requirement is low. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 220 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is low. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: no. It has been recorded down to -3°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a bunch form. Its growth rate is rapid. Its lifespan is moderate. It puts on most of its growth in summer. It spreads by seed at a slow rate. It resprouts after damage: no. Coppices: no. Its tolerance of hedging is low. At maturity it reaches about 9.0 feet. Its roots go down at least 14 inches. Its shape is erect. It holds its leaves through winter: no.
What it looks like
It blooms in mid summer. The flowers are yellow. Conspicuous in flower: no. The foliage is white-gray. The foliage texture is coarse. In summer the canopy is dense in porosity. In winter it is moderate in porosity. Fall colour: yes. The fruit or seed is white. Fruit begins in summer. Fruit finishes by fall. It fruits low. The fruit persists on the plant: yes. The fruit is conspicuous: yes.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: no. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Seedling vigour is low. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: USDA PLANTS Database; US Cooperative Extension horticulture publications · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02