Cortaderia is a herbaceous perennial plant with lush panicle-shaped inflorescences. Pampas grass gained popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria. In romantic, sophisticated Victorian gardens, in which nature and man merge together, cortaderia was the best fit for planting. Since then, pampas grass has taken the first position in popularity in the estates of England.

Cortaderia — the queen of herbs

The plant belongs to the Cereal family, is considered the most beautiful ornamental grass with pink, snow-white, cream panicles. Original look pink inflorescences, reaching 1 m in height.

The name «pampas» was given to the plant due to the fact that in its natural habitat it is common in the steppes or pampas. The soils of the steppes of South America are fertile and rich in calcium. In nature, cortaderia bushes grow in breadth, reaching a height of 2.5 m.

During the growing season, pampas grass acts as a background element. As soon as inflorescences appear on the plant, it acts as a soloist.

Pampas grass in landscape design

Compositions with cortaderia look spectacular. During flowering, its luxurious panicles are similar to the feathers of exotic birds, which bend after the gusts of wind. Admiring such beauty, you achieve complete peace with nature.

Pampas grass looks good in a solitary planting. Smaller plants can be placed against the background of curtains. By planting the culture next to shrubs or trees, lush panicles and thin, elongated foliage will set off the greens of tall plants.

Gardeners advise growing pampas grass next to yucca. Against the background of the airy cortaderia, the inflorescences and juicy foliage of the yucca will be nicely shaded.

Cortaderia: planting and caring for pampas grass in the open field

Gardeners prefer to grow pink cortaderia and silver cortaderia. Plants easily adapt to new conditions of detention.

What time is good for boarding

The best time to plant pampas grass outdoors is early spring. You should be aware that return frosts can harm the plant, so planting is carried out only after warm weather is established. The perennial plant is not demanding on the soil, it does not tolerate only wetlands.

For your information!

When buying a crop in a store, you need to ask the seller what kind of bush it is — female or male. You should know that female bushes bloom longer than male ones and look more spectacular.

Selecting a landing site

A well-lit area, located away from water bodies, artificial streams, is suitable for planting pampas grass. Cortaderia does not tolerate lack of lighting.

Site preparation for planting

Before planting, the soil must be dug up on a shovel bayonet and all weeds must be removed. The distance between the holes should be at least 2 m.

Attention!

Since pampas grass develops a fast root system, it quickly fills the space and inhibits the growth of closely spaced plants. During digging, a complex universal fertilizer is introduced into the soil.

Landing Rules

Planting shoots or sowing seeds of Cortaderia is carried out in early spring after the threat of return frosts has passed.

Seeds are sown immediately in open ground and covered with foil. After the appearance of sprouts, the shelter is removed. Pampas grass bushes grown from seeds will only be ready to bloom 5 years after planting.

The seedlings are buried to a depth of 0.5 m. When transplanting to a new place, it is recommended to dig the plant together with a clod of earth so as not to disturb the root system. After planting, the crop is watered abundantly.

Soil moisture

Cortaderia needs abundant watering during dry times. The fact is that the root system is highly developed, powerful roots penetrate deep into the earth and absorb the moisture they need.

It is recommended to pour 20 liters of water under one bush. Watering is 1 time per week. If the soil is excessively moist, the root system may rot.

Pruning and fertilizing

Pampas grass is best fed with mineral fertilizers, which are applied once a year, in the spring.

Regular pruning will help maintain the decorative appearance of plantings. Every year in the spring, it is necessary to thin out the bushes by removing some of the leaves, and also remove faded inflorescences and dry grass.

Covering pampas grass for the winter

In late autumn, when the air temperature drops to -8-9 ° C, they begin to warm the cortaderia. You can not cover too early, as the bushes may die. Early carrying out of the procedure can lead to the decay of the root system. In addition, curtains will not have time to get sufficient hardening. Non-woven material is used for cover. Before warming, the foliage is cut by 1/3, the rest will serve as natural insulation and help the curtains to winter.

The maximum temperature that the crop can tolerate is -25°C. When growing pampas grass in harsh climates, it is recommended that cortaderia be dug up and stored in a dry basement. If storage takes place in a room with high humidity, the plant will rot.

Precautionary measures

The leaves of pampas grass are thin and long, reaching 2 m in height. They can be cut.

Be careful!

You can not plant cortaderia near the playground, paths, as there is a high probability of injury. All work with the culture is carried out with gloves and a mask.

Growing cortaderia in the conditions of the Middle Strip is a real test not only for the gardener, but also for the culture itself. If you manage to cope with the task, the site will be fragrant with lush bright inflorescences from spring to late autumn.