Purple pampas grass

Purple pampas grass

Cortaderia jubata (Poaceae)

Common Name:

Purple pampas grass

Scientific Name:

Cortaderia jubata (Poaceae)


Alternative common names:

Jubata grass (English); pampasgras (Afrikaans)

Description:

Vigorous, tussock grass up to 3m in diameter, with flowering stalks up to 3m high. Bright green long leaves with rough margins. Yellowish or purple, feathery flowers appear from November to February. This grass invades open grassland, roadsides, riverbanks and wasteland

Additional Information


Where does this species come from?

West tropical South America (Ecuador and Peru to Argentina)

What is its invasive status in South Africa?

CARA 2002 - Category 1 NEMBA - Category 1b

Where in South Africa is it a problem?

Mostly in Gauteng

How does it spread?

Spreads by seed dispersal, usually wind-borne

Why is it a problem?

It competes and tends to replace indigenous vegetation

What does it look like?

General description: Robust, tussock grass up to 3m in diameter with flowering stalks reaching up to 3m high.
Leaves: Bright green, long and slender blades which are flat to slightly v-shaped in profile with rough, cutting margins rough.
Flowers: Yellowish or purple, loosely branching and feathery appearing from November-February.

Does the plant have any uses?

Used as an ornament as well as mine dump stabilization

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