White Pampas Grass, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
White pampas grass grows fast in Southwest Florida sun and throws big plumes, but UF/IFAS rates it a high invasion risk and does not recommend planting it. If you want it anyway, we plant it away from natural areas. For a native look, ask about muhly grass or Fakahatchee grass.
- Light:
- Full sun
- Water:
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Salt:
- Moderate
White Pampas Grass sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| White Pampas Grass | 3 Gallon |
White Pampas Grass in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 6 to 10 ft tall with plumes rising higher; 5 to 8 ft wide
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate
- Cold tolerance
- Very hardy; frost browns leaf tips but never threatens the clump
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Spacing
- 5 to 8 ft apart
- Florida native
- No, native to South America
- Botanical name
- Cortaderia selloana
Where White Pampas Grass works in a SW Florida yard
White pampas grass needs space. Use it as a bold specimen in an open, sunny corner of a large yard, or as a tall backdrop well away from walkways, since the leaf edges are sharp. Its white plumes show from late summer into fall.
Keep it back from preserves, canal banks and ponds. For a similar look from a native plant, use muhly grass for fall pink plumes or Fakahatchee grass for a bold clump.
- Large-scale screening
- Bold focal clump
- Open sunny areas
- Dramatic plume backdrop
How our crew plants it
Clumps need elbow room, so space them 5 to 8 ft apart. Our crew digs a hole twice as wide as the pot and as deep as the root ball, sets the crown level with the soil, backfills with native sand, waters it in and leaves it clean.
Mulch 2 inches, off the crown. New clumps can be watered extra under Lee and Collier rules.
Care after planting
- Cut the clump to 6 to 12 inches in late winter, wearing gloves and long sleeves, because the leaf edges are razor sharp.
- Cut the plumes off before they fluff out and release seed.
- Water regularly while it establishes, then rely on rain and your assigned days; it needs little feeding.
- Skip fertilizer from June 1 to September 30 under the Lee County, Naples and Marco Island ban, and feed lightly in spring if at all.
What to watch for
- UF/IFAS rates pampas grass a high invasion risk in Florida and does not recommend it, so keep it away from preserves, canals and ponds, cut the plumes before seed ripens, and consider muhly grass or Fakahatchee grass as native alternatives.
- Leaf edges are razor sharp and cut skin, so keep it off walkways and play areas and wear gloves when you trim.
White Pampas Grass questions we hear
Is pampas grass invasive in Florida?+
UF/IFAS gives white pampas grass a high invasion risk rating and does not recommend it for Florida landscapes. If you plant one, keep it away from preserves, canal banks and ponds and cut the plumes before they ripen. Muhly grass and Fakahatchee grass are native options with a similar bold look.
How big does white pampas grass get?+
A mature clump reaches 6 to 10 ft tall with plumes rising higher, and 5 to 8 ft wide. Space plants 5 to 8 ft apart, and keep clumps away from walkways because the leaf edges are sharp.
How do you cut back pampas grass?+
In late winter, cut the clump to 6 to 12 inches with gloves, long sleeves and eye protection, since the leaf edges are razor sharp. Cut the plumes earlier, before they fluff out and release seed, and bag the clippings instead of leaving them in a pile.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on White Pampas Grass
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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