Pampas grass

Clump-forming grass less than four metres tall that looks similar to native toetoe. Pampas grass provides a habitat for invasive mammals, smothers young trees, and poses a fire risk.

Description

• Leaves are sharp and mostly develop from base.
• Leaf midrib does not continue to base and there are no secondary veins between midrib and leaf edge.
• Dead leaf bases spiral-like wood shavings.
• Flowerheads are erect, dense, fluffy, white, pink or purple fading to dirty white, yellow or brown as seed develops and are found mid-summer to early winter.
• Native toetoe grasses look similar to pampas but toetoe dead leaves do not curl into spirals at the plant base and on living leaves there are distinct secondary veins between the midrib and leaf edge.
• Dispersal of seeds by wind, animals and water. Human-mediated dispersal through the movement of contaminated vehicles, gravel, soil and plant material.
• Habitats include disturbed areas, roadsides, cliffs, along waterways, coastal areas, shrublands and open forests.

What you need to know

Forms dense colonies and replaces native plants in open or disturbed habitats. Smothers young trees and disrupts harvesting in forestry plantations. Provides habitat for invasive mammals and can create a significant fire hazard.

Management approach

Pampas grass is declared an unwanted organism by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) because it is capable of causing harm to the natural environment, physical resources or human health in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

These species pose a high risk to our environment, economy, recreation, and cultural values.

Rules

Any species declared a pest, including unwanted organisms, cannot be sold or be in a place where plants are being sold. Pest plants cannot be propagated, bred, multiplied, communicated, released, caused to be released, or otherwise spread.

Consider removing this invasive species from your property and consult your local council for appropriate disposal. Consider lower-risk alternatives for your garden, such as native plants.

Control

Site Management

Follow up treated areas three times per year. Encourage natural regeneration of native plants or replant treated areas where possible after two to three treatments to establish dense ground cover and minimise reinvasion.

Physical control

Dig our pull out small plants or seedlings

Plant parts requiring disposal: seed heads

Contact your local council for appropriate disposal locations

Chemical control

Foliar spray with 20ml glyphosate plus 2ml penetrant per 1L of water.

Foliar spray with 3ml haloxyfop-P-methyl plus 5ml spraying oil (check label) per 1L of water.

Caution: When using any herbicide or pesticide please read the label thoroughly to ensure that all instructions and safety requirements are followed.