Pampas grass is a very tall, clumpy grass with fluffy flower heads. It competes with native vegetation and is a fire hazard.
Pampas grass is an environmental weed that:
It is readily grazed and does not establish in cropping systems.
Pampas grass is a perennial grass that grows in clumps up to 1.5 m wide.
There are two species in NSW:
Flower heads are:
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.
Pampas grass has naturalised in bushland on the Central Coast and in some areas of the Central Tablelands. It is a major weed in Sydney. There are lots of small populations on the coastal plains of the north coast of NSW. It is spreading across land disturbed by coal mining to the west of Newcastle.
Pampas grass prefers open, sunny locations and can grow in low-fertility soil. It tolerates waterlogging and can infest mangroves, riverbanks, and heathlands. It tends to establish in roadsides, quarries, sand dunes, mine spoil, new forest plantations, and burnt and disturbed bushland.
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.
Pampas grasses can spread out via rhizomes (underground stems).
Successful weed control requires 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.
To tackle pampas grass:
Avoid controlling pampas grass in summer to protect native wildlife. In summer, pampas grass can be an important shelter. Snakes such as the diamond python may lay eggs in the grass clumps.
When: while pampas plants are young (stock avoid it once mature)
Follow up: with another control method
Grazing can prevent flowers from developing and setting seed. Only graze where the risk of causing new infestations is low.
When: After rain when soil is moist. It’s easier to get the roots out of the soil.
Follow-up: within 3 to 6 months or when regrowth is visible if following up with a chemical treatment.
Physical removal is ideal wherever possible.
Remove plants when they are small. Make sure to remove all the crown and root system, which spreads out from the plants. Wear long sleeves and gloves as protection from the sharp leaves.
On larger plants, remove seed heads first and place them in a plastic bag for disposal. Then slash the plant and dig out the crown and roots.
Use herbicides only where the risk of causing new infestations is low. Do not spray plants stressed by drought or frost. Use follow-up treatments on regrowth.
For larger plants:
You can also use fire to prepare for spraying. Burn plants, allow them to recover, then spray with herbicide.
See Using herbicides for more information.
Glyphosate 360 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 1.0 or 1.3 L per 100 L of water
Comments: Actively growing plants, before flowering, spring to autumn. Use higher rate on plants over 1 m high.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: M, Inhibitors of EPSP synthase
Resistance risk: Moderate
The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the 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 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. |
Greater Sydney |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Land managers mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers prevent spread from their land where feasible. Land managers reduce the impact on priority assets. The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. |
Hunter
Exclusion zone: Upper Hunter local government area. Core infestation area: Port Stephens, Maitland, Cessnock, Lack Macquarie, Newcastle and MidCoast local government areas. |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Whole region: The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. Exclusion zone: The plant should be eradicated from the land and the land kept free of the plant. Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Core infestation area: Land managers should mitigate spread from their land. Land managers to reduce impacts from the plant on priority assets. |
North Coast |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. The plant should be eradicated from the land and the land kept free of the plant. The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. This Regional Recommended Measure applies to Cortaderia selloana and Cortaderia jubata (pink pampas grass) |
South East |
Regional Recommended Measure*
Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. The plant should be eradicated from the land and the land kept free of the plant. The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. Notify local control authority if found. This Regional Recommended Measure applies to Cortaderia jubata (pink pampas grass) |
*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here |
Reviewed 2019