Pampasgrass and Jubatagrass Threaten California Coastal Habitats

Where do they come from?

Pampasgrass is native to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, where it grows in relatively damp soils along river margins. It was first introduced to Europe in the early 1800s by a Scottish horticulturist. In 1848, nurserymen introduced pampasgrass to Santa Barbara, California. Commercial production began in California in 1874, and by 1895 nurserymen near Santa Barbara were the primary producers of pampasgrass as ornamental plants. In 1946, the Soil Conservation Service throughout Ventura and Los Angeles counties planted pampasgrass to provide supplementary dryland forage and prevent erosion.

Jubatagrass infestation at
Vandenberg Air Force Base

Jubatagrass is native to northern Argentina, and along the Andes of Bolivia, Peru, and Ecuador. It was first cultivated in France and Ireland from seed collected in Ecuador. It is not clear how or when it was introduced into California, but it may have come through France, via the horticultural trade.

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