I am trying pampas grass for the first time this year. From what I read in the catalogues, it blooms the second year. However, it says to grow it as an annual in the colder areas.....so that is what I am trying.

I started it a while ago, and now have little blades of grass under indoor lights. My hope is that like some perennials when started from seed, will still bloom the first year, if the seed is started early enough. Since it is an experiment, I won't know till fall, so we will see. If it doesn't bloom, I will also evaluate it, to see if it makes a good texture plant as an annual.

Sierra

thanks sierra. always bought plants so don't have seeds. maybe in the fall I'll try bringing it in for the winter and it'll have a years growth.

My experience has been similar. I tried pampas grass plants one year. They grew nice, never bloomed, and of course didn't survive winter.

Some perennials do bloom their first year from seed if started early enough but (at least in my limited experience) sometimes the first year blooms are very late and not all that spectacular.

In researching pampas on the internet, one site did say "don't be disappointed if your grass doesn't develop plumes for 2 or 3 years". This was a site that was selling seeds so perhaps they meant 2 to 3 years from seed.

Still, it would be a fun experiment to see how it performs in our zones.

Glen

Same for me - big healthy plants from seed started early, but no blooms. A heavy winter mulch and planted on the south side of the house didn't help at all for trying to get it to overwinter.

Just wondering, is it pampass grass in particular that you want? There are some nice and big, hardy ornamental grasses that are available. The plumes are nowhere near Pampass Grass size, but still quite lovely.

I have had mine for about 4 years. It never flowered until this year. The flowers are upright and slender and,in my opinion, rather 'dirty' looking. I like the nice white full plumes on 'Cloud Nine' better. My 'Maiden' grass has never flowered either, but then I think I just have to wait. Most of mine do take about 3-4 years to flower. Marg

My problem is also that I refuse to give up. No way are my green thumbs about to give up on something so easy and yet so difficult. I like other grasses, its just that this particular one is a challenge.