Purple pampas grass is a tall ornamental grass from the Andes, forming large tussocks topped with pink to purple plumes. Its key challenge is that it is an invasive weed in many regions, so it is best planted where it cannot escape.
Family
Poaceae (Grass family)
Grows as
Grass
Light
Full sun
Water
Water regularly while establishing, then give moderate water; it tolerates short dry spells once mature.
Soil
Well-drained garden soil; tolerates a range of soil types.
Temperature
Hardy in mild to cool climates; protect young plants from hard frost.
How easy
Easy
Native range
Colombia to NW. Argentina
Climate
subtropical
About
Cortaderia jubata is a species of grass known by several common names, including purple pampas grass and Andean pampas grass. It is similar to its more widespread relative, the pampas grass C. selloana, but it can get quite a bit taller, approaching seven meters in height at maximum.
This grass is native to the northern Andes but it is well-known elsewhere as an invasive species noxious weed. This grass has only pistillate parts, that is, all individuals are female. It reproduces by apomixis, in which embryos develop without fertilization.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cortaderia jubata by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.