What Exactly is Pampas Grass?

Pampas grass originates in the plains of South America, specifically the Pampas region to which it owes its name. On the west coast of North America pampas grass is a familiar sight, where it is considered an invasive species. This is the case in Australia and New Zealand as well.

Pampas grass is most known for its dramatic and puffy plumes. The stalks can grow as high as 13 feet. Despite its invasive nature in North America, it has become beloved as a decoration over the last couple of years.

What's All the Fuss About?

The main catalyst to the bursting popularity of this foliage seems to be the number of celebrities who are stricken by it. One of the earliest celebrity pampas sightings seems to be Mandy Moore's wedding in late 2018. Since then, it has been featured in the homes of Chrissy Teigen, Jessica Alba, Hillary Duff, and more.

The exaggerated plumes are at once glamorous and can add texture even with neutral colors. It's easy to see how this humble and invasive grass has invaded the hearts of so many.

Design Notes

The main drawback to decorating with pampas grass comes down to practicability and price. Pampas grass is a notorious shedder. Some say that you can use spray paint to limit the number of seeds that are shed, but this is less than ideal for many.

Pampas grass is easy to purchase from a variety of resellers, and while $16 for a bunch like the one above which is sold by Urban Outfitters isn't extremely pricey, it can add up quickly if you want to achieve a full rich look.

One alternative is buying imitation pampas grass, but many people avoid imitation plants. Some people don't like that they gather dust, and others just feel that imitation plants defeat the purpose of decorating with plants in the first place.

Designers can use materials in various ways to capture the essence of this voluminous grass. For example, cutting the outline out of metal, shaping wire into the likeness of pampas grass, or even printing the silhouette onto beautifully grained wood. The options are limitless, and we're glad that our designers are putting their heads together to produce options for those of us that love the look of pampas grass, but don't necessarily want to bring it into our homes.