I'm a graduate student at UC Davis and am studying the molecular ecology of pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) to determine which cultivars are the most invasive. I need to take small leaf samples from landscape plantings containing more than 1 plant in California. Does anyone have any pampas grass that I can sample from or know of any ornamental plantings that are easily accessible in California? Thanks so much for your help!
looking for pampas grass in California for research
Equilibrium
Jul 05, 2007
Would you feel comfortable contacting Barry Rice if I gave you a means by which to do so? Bob Ziemer might also be of help to you. Also too, I will send you a d-mail. Please look for it as I might be in a position to help you.
The Fullerton arboretum (attached to Calif State Univ. Fullerton) has some of these. And Armstrong nursery in Tustin CA is selling a "dwarf" version of it.
There are quite a few yards around Hoopa with more than one clump of pampas-Willow Creek, too.
The dwarf one is supposed to be sterile, not sure if it really is or not.
The ones I've noticed aren't dwarf.
The ones that grow wild everywhere aren't dwarf (or sterile!), but there's a dwarf cultivar that some nurseries sell advertising that it's sterile. Here it is on High Country Gardens website http://www.highcountrygardens.com/catalog/product/38905/
If it's not too late to offer ... I'm only 30 minutes from Davis, and have tons of pampas planted by prior owner ... even though I have torn out and burned a great deal.
You are welcome to do whatever you want to it. We go after it with chain saws and bulldozers, so I'm sure it will laugh at grad students!