Stemless / Acaulescent
A plant that has no stems, when the flower stalks and leaf blades are produced from ground level.
Tufted
Vegetation that is loose or compact emanating from a single point.This perennial grass forms a large dense upright tufted habit. It has yellowish-green rough textured linear leaves up to 2 m (6 ft) long with sharp margins and the white feathery-like flowers appear on a long stalk above the foliage during summer.
Cortaderia selloana is naturaly found from Brazil to Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in South America growing in open grasslands, on hillsides or along water courses in temperate and subtropical regions on the coast and in the mountains from sea level to an altitude of 3,000 m (9,842 ft) or more. It has also naturalised in many parts of the world including Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, California in North America and is regarded as a weed. It prefers a well drained poor-fertile moist to wet or dry sandy or clay loam that is acidic to alkaline, with a pH range from 5.5 to 7.5 but is adaptable to chalky soil. It grows in an open to expose sunny position and is drought, frost and salt tolerant.
Pampas Grass is grown for its stately clumping habit and its flower heads. It is planted in parks and large gardens as a specimen or used around a water feature or on embankments. It can be grown in large pots or tubs for courtyards or used as a wind break in exposed positions but is commonly known as a weed. This perennial forms and dense infestations becoming a fire hazard and the toothed margins of the leaves are sharp and can easily cut human skin. It appears on disturbed soil or in wasteland, wetlands, coastal heath and swamps. It has a vigorous growth rate and will establish in one season but only flowers in the second or third year. It has a low water requirement once established. (Scale: 1-drop from 3) tolerating dry or wet conditions.
I.D. 854
UK hardiness zone H5
Climate zones H1, 3 - 24
USDA Zone 7-11
Cortaderia (kor-ta-DE-ree-a) selloana (sel-õ-AH-na)
Etymology
Genus: - Cortaderia – from the Spanish-Argentinian word ‘cortadera’ meaning (cutter), referring to its sharp leaf margins
Species: – selloana – after Friedrich Sellow (1789-1831), a German botanist and naturalist who worked as a plant colloctor in Brazil
Note:
It is very similar to the species Cortaderia jubata which tends to be more invasive and can be identified by its tall pink blooms.
Cultivar
'Pumila'
Poaceae (poh_AY-see-ee)
Grass Family
This large family is the most economically important and includes annual herbs, stoloniferous and rhizomatous perennials normally with fibrous roots and sometimes woody shrubs. The grasses are normally perennial and have rhizomes or form a tufted habit.
Distribution
These plants appear in most areas of the world from Antarctica to the tropics and account for 25 % of the world's vegetation but are not common in rainforests or in dry heath. They appear from high altitudes to sea level and are commonly interspersed between trees and shrubs.
Diagnostic Features
These plants have fibrous roots that may be developed adventitiously from the lower stem nodes. The hollow stems are called culms and are cylindrical and are sometimes solid. A few species form bulbs or corms.
The leaves consist of two parts, the sheath and the blade and have a membranous or ciliate rim with the ligule found at the internal junction of the two. The sheath encircles the stem and has overlapping margins or are sometimes fused forming a tube around the stem. The blade can be narrow or broad and are usually lanceolate, linear to ovate and can be evergreen or occasionally deciduous. The base may also have a meristematic region at the base allowing the leaf to continue to grow after cutting or grazing. The size is variable from bladless to 5 m (16 ft) long.
The inflorescence is normally found at the stem apex inside the upper most leaf sheath and may be a simple or compound panicle, raceme or spike and vary in size up to 2 m (6 ft) long. They are sometimes a combination and commonly known as a spikelet.
These spikelets are consisting of 2 opposite rows of bracts that are arranged along an axis (rachilla). Glumes are the 2 lowest bracts and are empty with the remaining (lemmas) form a part of the floret with the reproductive parts enclosed between the lemma outside and the inner highline scale (palea).
The numerous small florets (spikelets) are composed of the lemma, palea, stamens and sometimes an ovary, stigma with 2 - 3 membranous scales (lodicules) which are found at the base of the reproductive parts.
The spikelets are normally bisexual or barren and may have a hard basal point (callus). In some cases both female and male spikelets are born on the same plant. The glumes, lemmas and pleas may have bristles (awn).
There are 3 stamens and a feathery stigma on top of a superior ovary that contains one chamber and one ovule.
The fruit is a one seeded caryopsis that has a thin pericarp or is a utricle (achene) with the seed being free. Some bamboo species produce a berry-like fruit and some other species produce a nut. Commonly a part of the inflorescence is incorporated in the seed to help with dispersal such as in tumbleweed or hooks and barbs.
Note:
There are 12 subfamilies and grasses are a principal source of food and changed the course of humans from foraging 23,000 years ago to farming around 10,000 years ago. Many of the grasses are used for domestic lawns, playing fields and as ground covers and many are regarded as weeds.
This plant tolerates between USDA zones 7a to 11a and grows to 4 m (12 ft)
Fahrenheit 5º to 45º F
These temperatures represent the lowest average.
Celsius -15º to 7.2º C
Attention
The information displayed on this plant is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also make observations of the plant that we photograph, and all care is taken to ensure the details are correct.
All photographs and data are covered by copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, reference or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part including images and text may be reproduced by any means without written permission. The information presented on the map is only indicative and may contain errors and omissions. All inquiries should be addressed to sales@plantfile.com attention Peter Kirkland.
Simple
The leaf that is not divided.
Linear
Margins are parallel and length is ten times its breadth.
Basal
When the leaves grow from the base of the plant or radically from the root-shoot point.
Serrulate
A leaf margin with diminutive conditions of serrate(small serrations).The yellowish-green linear leaves are up to 2 m (6 ft) long by 20 mm (¾ in) wide and are arching. they have sharp serrated margins in one direction and an acute apex.
Ligule: Tufted hairs,
Sheath: Smooth to sparsely hairy, pale yellow.
Vernation: Prominant mid rib with no secondary veins.
Panicle
Branched with large loose clusters.| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
The female florets are covered in silky hairs and the male is naked. The dense terminal panicle has many branches and is up to 1,000 mm (3 ft) long and is silvery-white to pale pink in colour. They appear throughout summer above the foliage on a scape that is up to 2 m (6 ft) long.
Note: the plants may be only female or male and female.
Caryopsis
This is an Achene with the pericarp attached to the seed (cereal grain)."| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
The small dry one seeded fruit has a short viability period and requires ample warmth to germinate. the straw coloured elliptical seeds are up to 3 mm (1/10 in) long and are enclosing the persistent bracts. The seeds are dispersed by wind or water and the plant can reproduce from rhizome fragments. The peak seed production is during February to March.
Pampas Grass is grown for its stately clumping habit and its flower heads. It is planted in parks and large gardens as a specimen or used around a water feature or on embankments. It can be grown in large pots or tubs for courtyards or used as a wind break in exposed positions but is commonly known as a weed.
This perennial forms and dense infestations becoming a fire hazard and the toothed margins of the leaves are sharp and can easily cut human skin. It appears on disturbed soil or in wasteland, wetlands, coastal heath and swamps. It has a vigorous growth rate and will establish in one season but only flowers in the second or third year. It has a low water requirement once established. (Scale: 1-drop from 3) tolerating dry or wet conditions.
Note:
Control methods include collecting seed-heads in a bag and smaller plants can be dug out with a mattock. Larger plants may be reduced and poisoned or removed with an excavator. They have short strong rhizomes with fibrous roots which are difficult to dig up. This plant reshoots from the base after fire and these shoots can be painted with herbicide to reduce growth.
The spraying of chemicals in waterways has to be carried out with minimal contamination of the water. Where possible apply the chemicals by rubbing them on with a mop or brush.
Sow fresh seed and maintain a temperature of 16º to 18º C. Divide established clumps (rhizome) during spring. This plant is not normally cultivated for ornamental purposes in Australia.
Crown Division (General)
The crown is the part of the plant at the surface of the soil where new shoots arise. With lateral shoots the crown of some plants requires division when they become crowded.
Herbaceous perennials and multi-branched woody shrubs may develop large crowns that need dividing.
It is a simple method of propagation that is used by amateurs and professionals for a small increase in plants.
Plants that flower during spring to summer are divided during autumn and if flowering in summer to autumn they are divided in spring. The crown is dug up and cut with a knife in to sections, which has a shoot and abundant roots then planted or potted up. The crown may also be divided in some species by using a shovel to cut and dig sections out.
Propagation by Seed (General)
Germination
In order for a seed to germinate it must fulfil three conditions.
1. The embryo must be alive (a viable seed).
2. The seed must have no dormancy-inducing physiological, physical or chemical barrier to germination; also the seed must be nondormant.
3. The seed must have the appropriate environmental requirements, water, temperature and oxygen.
The interaction between these requirements and dormancy is complex and may lead to different environmental requirements that avoid the dormancy of a seed.
Sowing Seeds in Containers
There are two general methods for germinating seeds.
Seeds in a flat or germinating bed, through which seedlings are pricked-out then, transplanted into another flat with wider spacing or directly to an individual pot.
2. Sowing seeds by placing them in to flats with the appropriate spacing or into individual pots.
This method is normally carried out with medium to large seeds such as woody plants and plants that are difficult to transplant.
Seedling production normally occurs in a greenhouse / glasshouse, cold frames and on hot beds.
Method of Seed Sowing
Fine seed is sown in pots or flats that are no deeper than 70 to 80 mm. using a sterilised well-drained media (soil). Fill the container to 20 mm from the top and sprinkle sieved peat to 3 mm depth.
Press the media down level and firm with a piece of timber and then thoroughly moisten.
Mix the fine seed with washed sand and then sow thinly on the surface. These may be lightly covered with sand.
Larger seeds may be covered with media or a hole is dibbled and the seed is placed in the media.
Watering Methods
For watering you may either mist the containers from above or place the container in tepid water and allow the water to raise through the pot to the surface of the media, then drain away and do not fill to the top of the container.
Place a piece of glass over the pot and store in a protected warm environment (glasshouse).
Seeds germinate best in darkness so shade the containers if in direct sunlight.
After the seedlings have sprouted remove the glass and ease the seedlings into direct light.
When the seedlings are large enough prick them out and transplant into larger containers then place them in a shade house to harden off.
Many seeds have different methods of seed preparation for germination such as nicking or cutting the seed coat to allow water penetration, also placing seeds in hot water and allowing it to cool off.
This is particularly important as it is softening the seed coat.
Note: Plants affected by this pest are Deer Resistant plants not the susceptible plants.
PEST
NAME
Deer
Cervus species
ORDER
Artiodactyla
FAMILY
Cervidae
Description of the Pest
There are two species of the deer in North America, the Whitetail (Odocoileus virginianus) and the Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) with several regional variations such as the Pacific coastal Blacktail (O.h. columbianus) which is regarded as a sub-species of the Mule deer.
The Whitetail on average grows to 112 cm (44in) tall and 180 mm (70 in) long and weigh 68 kgs (150lbs). The fir colour varies according to its environment but generally it is reddish-brown during summer and grey-brown in winter with a pure white underside on its tail. When the tail is erect it is known as the "white flag". Its antlers consist of two main beams from which the points emerge.
The Mule deer grow to 105 cm (42 in) tall and are up to 200 cm (80 in) long with the adult buck weighing up to 137 kgs (300 lbs) and the does up to 80 kgs (175 lbs). The fir is generally tawny brown during summer and during winter it has a heaver grey-brown to blue-grey coat with a small white tail that is tipped in black. The other distinguishing features are its ears that are up to 300 mm (1 ft) long (mule-like) and its antlers, with the two beams that are forked into smaller beams, which inturn fork again and again.
The Blacktail deer (Pacific coastal Blacktail) grows to 97 cm (38 in) tall and is up to 105 cm (60 in) long and weighs on average 73 kgs (160 lbs). The fir is generally tawny brown during summer and during winter it has a heaver grey-brown to blue-grey coat with a tail that is dark brown at the base then changing to black for 50% of its length. The antlers consist of two beams that are forked into smaller beams, which inturn fork again and again.
Appearance and Distribution of the Pest
The Whitetail deer are found throughout eastern United States, on the coast and inland but are not commonly seen in California, Utah or Nevada. They do not migrate but congregate together (yard up) during winter and feed in a part of their existing territory.
The Mule Deer are found in the western part of North America from South eastern Alaska to Mexico and from the Pacific coast to Texas. They migrate from highland mountain meadows to southern or lower snow free forested valleys during winter.
The Blacktail deer are found on the Pacific coast from Alaska to northern California. There is both resident and migratory Blacktails. The migratory Blacktails move southwards during late autumn at the first sigh of snow or heavy sustained rain and the resident Blacktails seek cover their existing territory amongst woodlands during the winter months.
Life Cycle
All Deer breed from autumn to early winter and the does give birth from late spring to early summer.
Period of Activity
Deer are most active from spring to autumn but can be troublesome during winter when the feed is scarce. In some regions urban landscapes become the major food source both in summer and winter.
Damage Caused
Browsing deer will feed on almost any plant and is most commonly noticeable during spring feeding on the new growth or twigs and stems leaving a shredded appearance. Deer also rub their antlers against trees damaging bark and snapping off small branches, this action also incurs damage under hoof as plants, lawns and garden structures are trampled on.
Susceptible Plants
Some plants are more palatable to deer but when a deer is hungry or during drought conditions there are no "Deer Proof" plants. There is a range of plants that have a bad taste and are not destroyed and are regarded as (deer resistant plants). Deer resistant plants are the plants that are attached to this file not the susceptible plants.
Cultural Control
There are many cultural controls that have been tried to move browsing deer such as frightening them with strobe lights, pyrotechnics or tethered savage dogs. These actions are only temporary and may cause more trouble as the stampeding animals move off. Fencing and netting can be an effective method of discouraging hungry deer from gardens but may be expensive on a large scale and require maintenance. There are several types of fences which include conventional 2.2m (8 ft) deer-proof woven wire fences or single-wire electric fences and slanted deer fences. Plant selection can also be effective, by using less desirable plants (deer resistant plants) as an outer border to the more desirable plant species and thus discouraging the deer to enter the garden. Hedges and windrows of less desirable thorny plants can also be a deterrent to browsing deer.
Chemical Control
There are two main types of repellents contact and area. Contact repellents are applied directly to the plants and deter deer with a bad taste or smell. They can be applied by rubbing or spraying on to the plants and commonly used in an egg mixture. The commercial products have proven to work better than home remedies which include soap or chilli mixtures and hanging bags of human hair.
Area repellents rely on an offensive odour and are placed around areas that are frequently visited.
Contact your local distributor for available types and application.
Note: Plants affected by this pest are the Rabbit Resistant plants not the susceptible plants.
PEST
NAME
Rabbits
Oryctolagus cuniculus & Sylvilagus species
ORDER
Lagomorpha
FAMILY
Leporidae
Description of the Pest
There are a eight different genera in the family classified as rabbits and include the European Rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) which has infested Australia and the Cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus spp.) which consists of 13-species with 9-species found in North America.
Generally rabbits have an egg-shaped body that can range in size from 200 mm to 500 mm long and weigh up to 2 kg. They have long ears that are adapted for detecting predators and powerful large hind legs allowing them to move fast. The body is covered in buffed, long soft fur that is brown or grey and the mouth has two sets of incisor teeth which are located one behind the other.
The cottontail rabbit grows up to 450 mm (18 in) tall and weighs 1.36 kg (3 lbs).
Appearance and Distribution of the Pest
Generally rabbits live in a variety of habitats including meadows, woodlands, forests, grasslands or deserts and wetlands living in groups with some underground in borrowers. The European Rabbit has been introduced to many parts of the world and in 1859 Thomas Austin brought 24 breeding pairs to Australia which subsequently escaped and quickly bred throughout Victoria and New South Wales and by the 1900's the rabbits had reached the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
Life Cycle
The life span varies with each species. Cottontails for example can live for one year to a maximum of three years in the wild but in captivity they can last for eight years, during which time they can raise between 2-6 litters per year and produce up to 18 kittens during the breeding season. In the cooler northern parts of North America the size and number of litters are generally smaller only 2-3 but in southern regions such as Mexico or Australia, European rabbits can produce 5-6 litters per year, normally commencing during spring time and continuing throughout the year. Each litter can consist of 2-8 or more kittens. Under ideal seasonal conditions a mature doe (female) can mate again several hours after giving birth and has a gestation period from 28-30 days.
Period of Activity
Generally rabbits eat throughout the year but in cooler countries such as North America they are more active during the spring to summer period but in warmer climates such as Australia rabbits can cause significant damage throughout the year.
Damage Caused
in Australia the effects of rabbits on the landscape has been a devastating resulting in the loss of an unknown number of plant species and a ring barking of young trees in orchards or forests. Major erosion problems have also resulted from warrens or plant denuded landscapes which are left vulnerable to the elements.
A rabbits generally will eat most flowers or the bark of woody plants, grasses of all types and most agricultural crops (vegetables).
Susceptible Plants
Rabbits mainly consumed grasses or garden vegetables and a broad range of ornamental plants. In cool climates where snowfalls rabbits eat twigs, bark and buds from the dormant plants. When rabbits are hungry they will eat most plants but attached to this file are rabbit resistant plants that are less palatable. Their resistance will vary depending on the stage of growth as new shoots are very desirable to rabbits.
Cultural Control
Control methods include trapping, hunting and exclusion with the use of fences, all of which had a marginal success. Many predators utilise rabbits as a food source for example foxes, feral dogs and cats, hawks or owls and human hunters.
Biological Control
In Australia to biological diseases have had reasonable success. In 1950 Myxomatosis was released into the rabbit population and resulted in the numbers dropping from 600 million to 100 million. Remaining populations became immune and steadily increased numbers to 300 million by the 1990s. The calicivirus was accidentally released in 1996 and culled populations significantly in regions of extreme heat but was less effective in cooler regions where the rabbits were exposed to a lesser calicivirus that immune them.
Chemical Control
Baiting and chemical repellents programs relied on the territorial habits of rabbits as they rarely forage further afield from their territorial areas.
Note
Landholders should seek advice from their local government agencies. This advice will include fumigation or destruction of warrens, fencing and shooting.
Average Lowest Temperature : -1º C 30º F
USDA : 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
This USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) hardiness zone chart can be used to indicate a plant’s ability to withstand average minimum temperatures. However, other factors such as soil type, pH, and moisture, drainage, humidity and exposure to sun and wind will also have a direct effect on your plant’s survival. Use this chart only as a guide, always keep the other factors in mind when deciding where, when and what to plant.
A plant's individual USDA zone can be found in the Plant Overview.
Climate Description
Warm to Sub-tropical
This overlaping zone has ample rain with high summer temeperatures and high humidity. Winters are mild. Pockets of sub-tropical climates exist within coastal warm temperate zones.
Frosts and droughts rarely occur along the coast.
Plant growth
Tropical and warm temperate native and exotic plants grow well.
| Dictionary | Growth Habit |
| Leaf Type | Botanic Flower Description |
| Leaf Shape | Flower Inflorescence |
| Leaf Arrangement | Fruit Type |
| Leaf Margin | Bark Type |
| Leaf Apex And Bases | Flower Description |
