Ever Grown Those Large Decorative Grasses?

[forHISglory]

I really like the way those large decorative grasses look. Several in our area are using them in landscaping, so I know that our climate is good for them. I've heard them called by various names such as Plume Grass, Pampas Grass, etc.

I'd like to plant some in a shady area, close to the house. We don't have very good soil out here; it's rather rocky. So here's my questions:

1. Will these grasses grow well in a shady but well drained spot?

2. Are these OK to plant next to a house, or will the root system interfere with the foundation?

3. Will they grow well in rocky soil?

Thanks!

[sabrelvssammy]

i don't have specific answers to those questions but i will say that we grew them all around our pond (in the middle of the backyard)...and i read to cut them to the ground each winter...sometimes i did...sometimes not...but i will say if you don't you get all the dead stuck in the middle and then they aren't as pretty (in my opinion).... they are really cool grasses though...

[pinetree]

I have two pampas grass in my front yard. They are two years old. They get full sun and don't need much water, but they have more than doubled in size.

I don't know about planting them in the shade, but make sure you have enough room for them to grow. We cut them down now, to about 18 inches tall, they are about 18 feet tall with their plumes on. I think they are a beautiful plant.

We are also going to split and divide into smaller plants this year. It looks like they spread out easily. We planted them not knowing what to expect, but we are quite pleased with them.

They are planted in rocky clay type soil, so they dont take much to grow, well, here anyway.