Cortaderia is a perennial herbaceous crop from the Myatlikov family. In the natural environment, it can be found in the steppe regions of South America and New Zealand. Therefore, the plant is often called pampas grass. At home, cortaderia is considered a weed. It grows great without any care. In the garden, the plant attracts with lush multi-colored ears of corn, but even without them, a green fountain as tall as a human height cannot leave anyone indifferent.
Plant description
Cortaderia is a perennial cereal. It has powerful, deep-rooted roots. Due to such a developed rhizome, getting rid of the cortaderia can be difficult. The grass forms a dense clump 2-3 m high. At the base are flexible thin leaves of green or bluish-green color. Rigid sheet plates bend in an arc and form a continuous cascade. Closer to the edge on the lateral surface there are prickly teeth.
In August-October, erect dense stems appear from the center of the leaf outlet. Their top is decorated with a complex panicle 30-50 cm long. It consists of many spike-shaped inflorescences. Each spikelet has 4-7 flowers with long, soft villi. Panicles can be painted white, cream or pink.
Varieties of Cortaderia
In the genus of cortaderia, 25 species of plants are registered. In domestic gardening, the most widespread due to charming inflorescences was pampas grass or Cortaderia Sello (Cortaderia selloana). These herbaceous perennials up to 3 m high grow with a wide curtain. Rigid root foliage is painted in gray-green color. Tiny sharp notches are located along the edge. Miniature flowers are collected in spikelets, and the latter - in large paniculate inflorescences. Around the flowers grow long soft hairs of silver, white or pink color. They give the plant a decorative look. Popular varieties:
- Silver (Andes silver) - two-meter stems with silver-white inflorescences rise above the green curtain;
- Patagonia - gray-green leaves set off silver-white lush ears;
- Pink (Rosea) - a thermophilic plant up to 2 m high dissolves silver-pink inflorescences;
- Rendatleri - thickets up to 270 cm high are affected by large purplish-pink panicles;
- Silver comet - under the white ears of 240 cm high there is a motley bright green foliage with white longitudinal strokes.
Breeding methods
Cortaderia is propagated by seed and vegetative methods. To grow amazing cereals from seeds, you first need to get seedlings. Sowing seeds is carried out in March-April, before that they must be cold stratified for two weeks. Prepared seeds are distributed on the surface of moist sandy peat soil. Containers are stored in a well-ventilated place at room temperature. Shoots appear within 2 weeks. In mid-May, when the frost is over, you can plant seedlings in open ground. Seedlings bloom 5 years after planting.
Thickets of cortaderia grow quickly enough. In spring, when the weather is warm and the plant wakes up from hibernation, you can separate a part of the bush with a shovel and transplant it with a lump of earth to a new place. Digging the entire curtain is not necessary.
Landing and care
Caring for cortaderia at home is a pleasure. This plant is unpretentious to the composition and fertility of the soil. It tolerates drought and bright light. It should be planted in a spacious open area, drafts and wind gusts are not terrible to the grass, despite high inflorescences.
In the absence of natural rainfall, the cortaderia is watered every 2 weeks. Adult plants are even more resistant to drought. Top dressing is carried out only in the spring. Regular fertilization of the cortaderia is not necessary.
When planting, the root neck should be deepened somewhat, then the plant will better tolerate winter frosts. In autumn, the stems and leaves are tied into a dense bundle and slightly pressed to the ground. It is better to trim part of the shoots to a height of 40-60 cm from the ground. The remaining shoots are covered with spruce branches or non-woven material.
Pests avoid contact with hard and sharp leaves, so you do not have to worry about protection against parasites. Cortaderia, despite the dense curtain, is also indifferent to plant diseases.
Plant use
Cortaderia looks great on a site in group plantings. It can be placed on bare ground or in the middle of a lawn. Green cascades are used to decorate ponds, but they should not be planted at the very edge of the water. There is also no need to plant the cortaderia near the tracks, its spiny, stiff foliage can hurt.
Dense thickets will serve as an excellent background for a flower garden. Roses, peonies, verbena, felt yarrow, euphorbia, echinacea and rudbeckia look good next to them. Lush multi-colored panicles can be used to make dry winter bouquets.
