Pampas grass - Pampas grass (English spelling)

A perennial plant of the grass family. It is native to Argentina and southern Brazil, and is named after the Pampas, where it grows. Many flower stalks grow in clusters between the leaves, forming a majestic plant that can grow 1-3 meters tall. Many leaves grow at the base, are linear, 1-3 meters long, and about 2 centimeters wide. Dioecious. It flowers from September to October, and the inflorescence forms a panicle. The inflorescence of the male plant is puny, but that of the female plant is longer, about 1 meter long, and densely covered with silky, silvery-white hairs. For this reason, it is called Shiroganeyoshi (white silver reed). It is planted in large gardens for decorative purposes, but can also be cut before the inflorescence opens and used as a dried flower. Horticultural species include C. kermesina hort., which has short inflorescences that spread widely horizontally and bloom pale pink-purple flowers, as well as species with white or yellow variegated leaves. It is easy to grow, but because it grows to a large size, it is difficult to replant, so the spacing between plants should be at least 2 meters. It is propagated by dividing the plants in April and May.

[Uomori Shoichi]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

イネ科の多年草。アルゼンチン、ブラジル南部の原産で、パンパスに生えるのでこの名がある。花茎は多数が葉間から叢生(そうせい)して雄大な株になり、高さ1～3メートル。葉は多数根生し、線形で長さ1～3メートル、幅約2センチメートル。雌雄異株。花期は9～10月、花穂は円錐(えんすい)花序となる。雄株の花穂は貧弱であるが、雌株のほうが長く、長さ約1メートル、絹糸状で銀白色の毛を密生。このため和名をシロガネヨシ（白銀葦）という。大きな庭園などに植え観賞用とするが、花穂が開く前に切り取りドライ・フラワーとしても利用できる。園芸種に、花穂は短いが横に広く広がって淡桃紫色花を開くモモイロパンパスC. kermesina hort.のほか、葉が白色または黄色の斑(ふ)入りとなるものもある。栽培は容易であるが、大株となるので植え替えがむずかしいため、株間は2メートル以上とする。繁殖は、4～5月に株分けでする。

［魚躬詔一］

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