"Ivory feathers" dwarf pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana "Pumila") is an ornamental grass that reaches heights of 3 to 6 feet with a spread of 4 to 6 feet, making it an ideal choice for small gardens. The silvery plumes of pinkish white flowers, which appear in late summer, rise 8 to 10 feet above the green grass. "Ivory feathers" dwarf pampas grass is suitable for growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7b through 10.
Water newly planted "Ivory Feathers" dwarf pampas deeply, providing a total of 1 inch of water per week. Water again when the top 3 inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Regular, deep watering establishes deep, healthy roots. After the first year, water only during periods of hot, dry weather.
Feed dwarf pampas grass every spring, using a balanced, granular, slow-release fertilizer applied at the rate suggested on the container. Sprinkle the fertilizer on the ground around the grass, and then dig the fertilizer into the top of the soil. Water deeply immediately after fertilizing.
Prune ornamental grass, cutting the plant down to 6 to 8 inches in late winter or early spring.
Divide ornamental grass when it begins to look crowded, non-productive or dry and brown in the center -- usually once every three to five years. Division is best done as soon as new growth emerges in early spring. To divide the plant, dig the clump, and then cut it into smaller sections, each with three to five shoots and several health roots. Dispose of the center and replant the sections.
Things You Will Need
- Balanced, granular, slow-release fertilizer
- Garden shears or pruners
- Cortaderia selloana is highly invasive and is on do-not-plant lists in several areas due to widespread damage and ecological impacts both coastal and inland. Remove seed heads before they become dry, since dry seed heads shatter and disperse seeds into sensitive habitats. Viable, less invasive alternatives include Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens), suitable for USDA zones 5 through 11, or pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaries), hardy to USDA zones 7 through 11.