Cortaderia selloana
Cortaderia selloana is a species of flowering plant in the Poaceae family. It is referred to by the common name pampas grass, and is native to southern South America, including the Pampas region after which it is named. Etymology Cortaderia is derived from the Argentine Spanish name 'cortadera', meaning 'cutter', in reference to its razor sharp leaf margins. Selloana is named for Friedrich Sellow (1789–1831), a German botanist and naturalist from Potsdam who worked as a plant collector in Brazil. He studied the flora of South America, especially that of Brazil. The specific epithet selloana was given by Josef August and Julius Hermann Schultes in 1827. Cultivars Several cultivars are available, of which the following have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit: Aureolineata Evita Monstrosa Patagonia Pumila Silver Feather Notcort Sunningdale Silver—grows to a height of and has particularly dense flowering plumes Negative impact Cortaderia has become invasive in mild-winter areas of North America, especially the southern United States. It has also been banned in Hawaii and New Zealand because of its ability to outgrow and displace native plants. In Europe, it was first introduced in the United Kingdom, later spreading to other countries in the continent