About
Cortaderia selloana 'Sunningdale Silver' is a vigorous evergreen grass that develops a dense clump of slender, dark green foliage reaching lengths of up to 1.4 meters. In summer, it produces elongated, silky flower plumes that are creamy white, rising on stems that can extend to 2.2 meters tall.
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
- North-facing, West-facing, South-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, Cottage and informal garden, Prairie planting
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Easy to grow in most well-drained fertile soils in full sun. May need some winter protection in first season
- Pruning
- Cut back old, flowered stems and dead foliage at the bases in late winter
- Propagation
- Propagate by seed sown in spring or by division in spring
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free