Pampas Grass must be one of the most recognised ornamental grasses but the majority of them actually make terrible garden plants with very late flowering and little weather resistance, coupled with razor sharp leaves and oversize clumps.
Thankfully there are a few more compact forms that flower earlier and resist the weather. They still have sharp edged leaves unfortunately so it's worth placing them further back in the border to prevent the temptation to run your hands through the flowing foliage.
The classy grass Lamprothyrsis hieronymi has also recently been reclassified as a Cortaderia so can now be found here. This is really quite different with a much tidier clump of glossy green leaves and flowers produced over many months.
Syn. Lamprothyrsus hieronymi. Very pretty miniature pampas with grossy green arching leaves and silvery plumes of flowers to 1.5m from spring until autumn. Drained soil in sun.
Probably of wild origin this form of Pampas Grass makes tidy clumps of blue-green leaves and produces early flowers to 2m in July. Drained soil in sun.
A recent introduction from Kurt Bluemel. Dwarf growth to only 1.4m. Steely grey foliage and warm buff flowers from July (rather than October as with other cultivars). Full sun, evergreen.
