Beautiful But Illegal
Pampas grass is beautiful but it’s illegal in New Zealand and turning up at many local weddings
A growing trend shown across social media and Pinterest showcases stunning weddings using fluffy white pampas grass. It’s absolutely beautiful, used en masse and looks incredibly romantic, a little ethereal, and even magical. So it’s no wonder it’s a trend that’s spreading globally and literally, writes Lisa Ferguson from The Event Boutique.
The majority of weddings, especially those in the Northern Hemisphere use pampas (Cortaderia selloana), a South American plant with massive white fluffy heads. It looks beautiful but is illegal to use under the Biosecurity Act in New Zealand.
It’s an invasive, highly spreading weed which has become a serious threat to forestry, farms, sand dunes, riverbanks and natural areas due to its aggressive nature. The seeds spread extremely long distances in the winds, and are so hardy it’s the first to grow in any conditions, takes over and wipes out other vegetation, therefore affecting our ecosystems as it replaces native vegetation. With thick bases of spiralling dead leaves that can reach to a metre high, it provides homes for pests such as rats and possums, grows densely and becomes a fire hazard.
Unfortunately the Biosecurity Act doesn’t prevent landowners from growing the plant on their own land, so it does grow wild, especially on farmland, making it easily accessible.
But There’s Good News
It’s not all doom and gloom and I do have good news for those that love this look and have their heart set on recreating a beautiful look with fluffy flower heads for their wedding. You can use New Zealand’s native toetoe (Austroderia). Both pampas and toetoe grow wild in New Zealand, and are very similar in appearance, so if you’re a florist, or are planning to source and pick your own grasses for your wedding, it’s crucial you educate yourself and do your research so you can tell the difference.
So how do you tell the difference?
A rule of thumb is that toetoe starts flowering in spring, from September with ageing heads lasting through summer. Toetoe has creamy-yellow heads that arch and droop, whereas pampas flowers after Christmas from January through autumn. The pampas plant stands completely upright, and produces dense, thick and fluffy white heads that fade to a dirty white as the seeds form. Ensure to also look at the base of the plant as toetoe grows from ground level, whereas pampas builds up a solid base that can rise up to a metre above the ground, with dead leaf ends that ◌ spiral like wood shavings.
Both pampas and toetoe grow wild in New Zealand, and are very similar in appearance.