pampus grass
Return to Discussionsi hate this stuff, years ago i planted this close to house as a cheap privacy screenng and now it looks like crap. needless to say i wacked outmost ofthe dead stuff and now i want to blink my eyes for it to disappear , have read all the ways to get rid of it and other than a backhoe $$$ i guess i could wrap a chain around it and either pull it out of ground or pull bumper off truck. after chopping at it other day i went to shower and it looked like someone took a switch to my legs - glad i wasn't nude gardening that day.
There is no doubting it can look great. Just that unless it has plenty of space it becomes a bit hard to contain. It was certainly the rage 30 years ago, but i think many people overlooked the size of the mature plant, when selecting a location.
Its a grass that should be called Pain in the Ass, Grass! We have them in California. Originally from Argentina in the Pampus Region where it gets its name. Beware, the leaves cut! Painful. People with allergies can suffer from these if the wind blows. I was helping a neighbor pull these from their yard. We wrapped it in a large Tarp then taped it together. Then we were able to dig them up. I suggested that he either gets a dumpster or pour kerosene on them and light them on fire. We eventually burned them on a semi-rainy day to keep the pollen and possible ambers from flying away. A few of his neighbors came to watch as there was nothing to do on a rainy day, but things will burn even in rain when soaked with kerosene. Best to burn in an open area away from structures. We dugged a hole in the ground and then slowly added them one by one, until they were all gone.
P.S. I do love gardening in the buff. Saves from washing clothes.