A clumping, perennial grass to 3 m, which forms a fountain of cascading leaves. It is well suited to cool areas, yet thrives in heat, does well in both acid and alkaline soils, including waterlogged areas. A fast plant to recover from grazing. A good windbreak and shelter plant for stock. Good for checking soil erosion.
In New Zealand it is considered that one acre of pampas planted 1.8 m x 1.8 m is equivalent to having 3000 bales of hay in a shed. It is a drought reserve but also the deep roots bring up trace elements which seem to control grass tetany. Pampas may be invasive in some reforestation, although it reportedly grows as a companion to poplars.
It spreads by seed and by clumping. Propagating this grass is simply a matter of dividing a clump into many smaller clumps and planting these out.