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Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana

Found in barrier island marsh edges, other disturbed areas. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height
6–12 feet
Spread
4–6.75 feet
Light
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture
Dry to moist

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
August to November

Not yet recorded · Leaves

Recorded in 6 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement.

Freshwater marshes

Georgia pond and emergent wetland
Regional / representative. Shown: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia; representative pond ecosystem, a neighboring state.Georgia pond and emergent wetland, Robert 'Bob' Hynes, 1997. Public domain. Source record.
Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

3CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Cortaderia

  • Mocis latipesSmall Mocis, Striped Grass Looper
  • Mythimna unipunctaArmyworm Moth, White Speck
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Poaceae
Hardiness
Zones 6a–10b
Soil pH
Acidic to alkaline
Flower color
Cream, gray/silver, pink, variegated or white

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Conservation status

Florida rankSNA
Global rankGNR
FL statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

Find natives for your garden

Sources