Cortaderia jubata
Purple pampas grass, jubata grass, Jubata Grass
(c) Ewen Cameron, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Poaceae · Type: Grass · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Cortaderia jubata (Purple pampas grass) is a non-native California grass in the Poaceae family, recognized by . Key features: violet inflorescence color, leaf surface coloration differences.
Purple pampas grass is a naturalized perennial found in northern coastal California, central coastal California, San Francisco Bay Area, southern coastal California, and western Transverse Ranges in disturbed sites and diverse habitats near the coast at elevations below 800 meters. Flowering from September to February, this invasive grass produces violet to dull brown flower plumes up to one meter long in large, dramatic clusters. Growing impressively tall with stems 2 to 7 meters high, it forms dense, robust clumps with long, arching leaves. Its leaves are 2 to 12 millimeters wide, green on both surfaces, with a distinctive row of short hairs at the base of the leaf blade. This aggressive species reproduces asexually, spreading rapidly in coastal and disturbed environments.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 1 sympatric species. Key features: violet inflorescence color, leaf surface coloration differences
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed sites, many habitats, especially coastal
Elevation: < 800 m
California counties: Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Humboldt, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, Marin, Mendocino, San Mateo, Ventura, Monterey, Del Norte, Alameda, Sonoma, Santa Barbara
Outside California: Oregon, native to montane western South America
Bloom period
Cortaderia jubata blooms Sep-Feb.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
How to tell it apart
vs Cenchrus: Cortaderia has huge silvery plumes up to 3 feet; Cenchrus has small spiky seed heads.; vs Miscanthus: Cortaderia forms massive 10-foot clumps with 3-foot plumes; Miscanthus is smaller with smaller seed heads.; vs Carex: Cortaderia has enormous feathery plumes; Carex has small brownish spikelets without showy plumes.; vs Leymus: Cortaderia has massive clumps with huge feathery plumes; Leymus has wheat-like spikes.; vs Muhlenbergia: Cortaderia forms 10-foot clumps with 3-foot plumes; Muhlenbergia is much smaller and delicate.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cortaderia jubata native to California?
No. Cortaderia jubata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Cortaderia jubata bloom?
Cortaderia jubata blooms Sep-Feb.
Where in California does Cortaderia jubata grow?
Cortaderia jubata occurs in Contra Costa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Cruz, San Diego, Humboldt, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside and other counties, at elevations of < 800 m.
What plant family does Cortaderia jubata belong to?
Cortaderia jubata is in the Poaceae family, genus Cortaderia.
Is Cortaderia jubata invasive in California?
Cortaderia jubata is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.