Pampas Grass

There are grasses that flower in the summer, but they're not pampas grass - all those flower somewhere between September up to early November.

Stipa gigantea is a bit like a pampas grass. It starts to throw up awns ( correct name for grass flower stems!) in June and they persist until the winter weather wrecks them. The clump has very narrow arching leaves and covers about one square metre, the awns are about 5/6 feet and 'see-through' not clumpy like pampas grass. A lovely thing.

We have a Pampas grass which begins flowering in mid July, and it is a Cortaderia not aStipa.

Stipa gigantea is very much like pampas grass.....people mistake them all the time. Our neighbour has a clump (or two) but his are probably about 2 metre. They are huge.

Cortaderia (Pampas grass) usually starts to flower in August here.

Not sure it gets that size here, Gilli, never seen one as big as you're describing, wouldn't mind a pic of that, if poss? Cool - there you go Skillen, move to British Columbia and you can have pampas in August! ;-))

I'll have to sneak a photo Bamboo....He's a bit cross with us at the moment for cutting down some trees. ;oD

I wouldn't take much persuading Bamboo! Thanks everyone for your advice. Owdboggy - it would be useful to know where you got yours.
Thanks Volunteer I'll have a look at that one.

Unfortunately the early Pamapas grass came with the house, so not sure what variety it is. Our 8 other Cortaderia's flower from mid August onwards. The early one is definately Pampas as I found out the hard way when cutting it down one time. Like all its relatives it has downward facing barbs on the leaves. one can plunge ones hand in, no trouble, but try pulling it out and BLOOD!
I could show you a picture of it, but a. It will take some time to find one and b, The sparrows adore it and remove the flowers as they appear.

I'm amazed, Owdboggy - wonder what variety they are that they flower so early? My one, when I had one, flowered late October or early November, though I think when I bought it it said flowers September, and certainly, some of them do. Or is it because your climate's cooler up there and that's why they flower earlier?

Cortaderia fulvida, and the similar Cortaderia richardii could be one of the pampas grasses you might have Owdboggy. They both flower in mid-summer and have very distinctive drooping one-sided plumes with fulvida flower plumes probably more drooping and longer than richardii

Now that is a distinct possibility. certainly the plumes, whilst typical Cortaderia, do have a more one sided look about them, than the others we have.

I saw the New Zealand Toetoe (Cortaderia richardii) flowering in July too at Edinburgh Botanics many years ago on a once in a blue moon visit, and the flowers are more lax and look one sided when the breeze blows through them. I must go back some time!

A friend I was with who lives in New Zealand recognised the clumps immediately.

Now I think about it, I believe the variety I had was C. selloana, and it flowered really late, October/November. Fantastic plumes though.

My mistake Bamboo.....(red faced here).....the neighbours grass is Miscanthus giganteum....not Stipa giganteum. When I went out to take a photo I realised my mistake. The Miscanthus g. is really huge. Probably about 8 or 9 feet tall.

That makes more sense, really, Miscanthus does get pretty tall. Ah well, another disappointment, was hoping to see a giant Stipa! Thanks for letting me know (redfaced or not!).

Well........funnily enough, there is a larger growing clone/selection of Stipa gigantea........now if I can just find what it's called........?

Found it!

http://www.panglobalplants.com/plant_nav/plant_code.php?show=Stipa+gigantea+%27Gold+Fontaene%27&picture=grasses211

Hi folks I think I'll get a Pennisetum setaceum rubrum instead!

I suppose you realize it's not hardy though skillen, and will need to be taken into a frost free environment at the end of the summer, or you could raise it from seed every year.

Thanks Bluespruce I did read that - It's rather nice and as I want summer flowering grass I'll give it a go. Probably best to bury it in a pot so it can be moved in winter? I'm not very good with seeds!

Pennisetum alopecuroides is a hardy perennial, Skillen.

Thanks for that Bamboo - had a look and I like it. search came up with Thomson&Morgan but they were out of stock. All other sites are american!

You'll get it next spring, I'd imagine, think it disappears in the winter, though I couldn't swear to that, never having grown it, but as its perennial, it might do.

Thanks bamboo.

The stems die and turn a lovely buff colour, but they do stay up and look good through the winter

Thanks, good to know Bluespruce.