| Abstract/Contents: | With the unprecedented popularity of ornamental grasses, pampas grass remains as one of the most popular and widely grown of all grasses. Because of its strong architectural qualities, it is considered by many to be the 'queen of ornamental grasses'. There is now a new heir to the throne. It is Sun Stripe Variegated Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana 'Monvin', Plant Patent No. 5136), a new introduction from the grower of "Distinctively Better" plants, Monrovia Nursery Company. The patented plant, which is cold hardy to 0 degrees F, has all the same sought after architectural qualities of the species, but with three distinct improvements: 1) silver-green foliage with a brilliant, golden-yellow center stripe running the length of the blade. 2) a smaller ultimate size of only four to five feet tall, less than half the size of the species. 3) uniform, female flowers in which the silvery plumes are larger, more fluffy, longer lasting, and more profuse than seedling grown pampas grass. When these three superior characteristics are added to the toughness of the species, the result is a plant perfectly suited for today's demanding landscapes. Being native to the pampas prairie of Argentina, this grass thrives in either dry, sandy soils or the moist conditions. its tolerance of drought makes Sun Stripe an excellent choice for "water wise" landscaping. As with many new plant introductions, this new cultivar was discovered quite by accident. Gavin Espinosa, production manager at the Azusa, CA location of the Monrovia Nursery Co. spotted the original Sun Stripe plant among a bed of pampas grass seedlings in June, 1977. This spring, Espinosa saw the first plants offered for sale 14 years after his discovery. During that time, a patent for the plant was secured and research was done on the plant. Now gardeners across the country can enjoy the beauty and benefit from Sun Stripe Variegated Pampas Grass. |
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