About

Cortaderia selloana 'Pink Feather' is a robust, clump-forming perennial grass that can reach heights of 2.5 meters and spread to 1.5 meters in width. It features evergreen, arching leaves with sharp teeth, displaying a blue-green hue. In late summer or early autumn, it produces feathery panicles adorned with shiny pink spikelets.

About the genus

Cortaderia consists of sturdy evergreen grasses that develop sizable, compact clumps of narrow, rough-textured leaves. These grasses produce upright stems topped with dense flower panicles that range from silvery to pink hues, making them ideal for drying purposes.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil type
Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Aspect
South-facing, North-facing, West-facing, East-facing
Exposure
Exposed, Sheltered
UK hardiness
H6

Plant details

Plant type
Grass Like
Habit
Tufted
Foliage
Evergreen
Height
1.5-2.5 metres
Spread
1-1.5 metres
Time to full height
2-5 years
Suggested uses
Architectural, Coastal, Gravel garden, Prairie planting, Cottage and informal garden

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in fertile, deep, well-drained soil in full sun, and cover with a deep dry mulch to protect plants from frost in their first winter; choose planting positions carefully, because they need plenty of space, because of the sharp leaf edges, and because seedlings can be invasive; for more advice, see ornamental grasses cultivation
Pruning
Cut and comb out the last year's flower stems and dead leaves in late winter or early spring; wear gloves as protection from the sharp leaf edges
Propagation
Propagate by division in late spring
Pest resistance
Generally pest-free
Disease resistance
Generally disease-free