Pampas grass (Cortaderia species)

Pampas grass is a very tall, tussock grass with fluffy flower heads. It competes with native plants and can increase the risk of fires.

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How does this weed affect you?

Pampas grass is an environmental weed that:

• outcompetes native vegetation
• produces large amounts of dry material which increases fire risk
• can form thickets which limit movement of people and animals
• harbours pest animals
• competes with forestry.

 It is readily grazed and does not establish in cropping systems.

What does it look like?

Pampas grass is a perennial grass that grows in clumps up to 1.5 m wide.

There are two species in NSW:

• Common pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana), which is up to 6 m tall when in flower. 
• Pink pampas grass (Cortaderia jubata) is up to 4.5 m tall when in flower. 

Leaves are:

• dark to dull green, up to 2 m long and 3 cm wide, erect or arching (common pampas)
• bright or bluish green up to 2 m long and 2 cm wide, arching (pink pampas)
• finely serrated on the edges
• arched over with tips often touching the ground.

Flower heads are:

• up to 80 cm long
• white, pink or mauve, and present from mid-March to late May (common pampas) 
• pink when young, fading to dark brown, and present from January to late March (pink pampas).

Seeds are:

• inside the flowering glume
• straw coloured and up to 2 mm long (common pampas)
• straw coloured or dull brown and up to 2.5 mm long (pink pampas).

Stems are:

• erect and hollow
• up to 3 cm in diameter
• grey green to yellow green (common pampas).

Roots are:

• up to 3.5 m deep
• attached to rhizomes.

Similar looking plants

Common and pink pampas grass looks like New Zealand pampas grass (Cortaderia richardii). New Zealand pampas grass flower heads are yellow to gold, and present from October to January. Its leaf sheath has a distinct line up the middle (a midrib). New Zealand pampas grass does not currently grow in NSW but could invade.

Where is it found?

Pampas grass has naturalised in the Greater Sydney, North Coast, Hunter, South East, Central West, Central Tablelands, Northern Tablelands and Riverina regions. 

It is native to South America.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Common pampas grass grows best in subtropical climates in open, sunny locations. It thrives in moist areas and can grow in low-fertility soil. Plants tolerates waterlogging, saline conditions and salt spray.

Pink pampas grass can grow in tropical to cool temperate climates.

Pampas grass grows:

• amongst mangroves and in salt marsh
• along riverbanks
• in heathlands and sand dunes
• on rocky outcrops
• in disturbed sites including along roadsides and trails, in quarries and on mine spoil
• in new forest plantations and in forests and disturbed bushland.

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Pampas grass during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2026)
  These records are made by authorised officers during property inspections under the Biosecurity Act 2015. Officers record the presence of priority weeds in their council area and provide this to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Records reflect the presence of the weed on the date of inspection.
  
  

How does it spread?

By seed

Wind spreads the seed. Garden plants are often the source of new infestations.

Common pampas grass has female and hermaphrodite plants. The female plants produce more seeds if they are pollinated by a hermaphrodite plant.  Pink pampas grass plants are all female and don’t need to be pollinated.

By plant parts

Pampas grasses can spread out via rhizomes (underground stems).

References

Buckley K.A., Marynissen P. & Dwyer, P.G. (2025). Intertidal Marine Vegetation Strategies: Weed management guide. NSW Government.

Dellow, J. and McCaffery, A. (2003) Pampas Grass. Agfact P7.6.40. NSW DPI, Orange.

Parsons, W.T. and Cuthbertson, E.G. (1992). Noxious Weeds of Australia, 2nd ed. CSIRO publishing.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 24 november 2025 from:https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&search=yes&namesearch=Cortaderia&dist=

More information

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Control

Successful weed control relies on follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new seedlings. Using a combination of control methods is usually more successful.

If possible, control plants before they set seed as plants can produce up to 100,000 seeds per flower head. 

Checking

Check regularly for seedlings as seeds can spread up to 25 km from a parent plant. Control seedlings as soon as possible

Pasture management

Grazing

Livestock will graze young plants but avoid mature plants. Grazing can prevent flowers from developing and stop plants from setting seed. Only graze where the risk of causing new infestations is low.

Physical removal

By hand

Small plants can be dug out. This is easiest after rain when soil is moist. Remove all the crown and root system. Wear long sleeves and gloves as protection from the sharp leaves. 

By machine

Large infestations can be removed by machinery. Ensure that any seed heads are disposed of carefully. Clean machinery to avoid spreading seeds. 

Chemical control

Spaying

Spray actively growing plants. Ensure all of the foliage is covered. Taller plants require a higher rate of herbicide.

Slashing followed by spraying

To treat plants at a  manageable height and while they are actively growing:

• slash the plants to reduce the foliage
• dispose of the slashed plant material
• allow some foliage to grow back
• spray all of the foliage.

Fire followed by spraying

Fire can also be used to allow plants to be easier to manage:

• burn plants
• allow some foliage to grow back
• spray with herbicide. 

Splatter gun

Splatter-guns use small amounts of concentrated herbicide. They spray large droplets that limit spray drift. They are useful for very dense infestations of weeds that are difficult to reach.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 10 mL or 13 mL per 1 L water
Comments: Spray using a handgun or knapsack. Treat actively growing plants, before flowering, spring to autumn. Use higher rate on plants over 1 m tall.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Glyphosate 360 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 1 part herbicide per 9 parts water.
Comments: Gas gun or splatter gun. Apply 2 x 2 mL per 0.5 m height as an even spray to cover all foliage.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 9 (previously group M), Inhibition of 5-enolpyruvyl shikimate-3 phosphate synthase (EPSP inhibition)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the NSW Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All pest plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. 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.
Central Tablelands Contain recorded populations across the Central Tablelands region. Goal will be to contain pampas grass spread across the whole region with focus on spread or potential spread into conservation or natural areas.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Whole of region: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value.
Greater Sydney	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Asset Protection) Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment.
Hunter An exclusion zone is established for all land in the region, except the core infestation which includes parts of: Lake Macquarie Local Government Area.	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Containment) Entire Hunter Local Land Services region: Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Exclusion zone: Notify local control authority if found. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Core infestation: Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value.
North Coast	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Prevention) Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Notify local control authority if found. This Regional Recommended Measure applies to Cortaderia jubata (pink pampas grass)
North Coast	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Eradication) Land managers mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Notify the Local control authority if the plant is found on the land. The plant is eradicated from the land and the land is kept free of the plant. The plant or parts of the plant are not traded, carried, grown, or released into the environment. This Regional Recommended Measure applies to Cortaderia selloana.
	*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here

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Reviewed 2025