PlantFiles: Ravenna Grass, Plume Grass, Hardy Pampas Grass
Saccharum ravennae

I have a premonition from my experiences with this plant that if it doesn't end up on the noxious weed list here in Western Colorado, it will at least behave as a noxious weed. I have seen it escape cultivation several times, moving quickly into riparian areas.

In discouragement of planting this creature, I recommend several giant-grass alternatives depending on climate:

Sporobolus wrightii (Big Sacaton)
Miscanthus x giganteus (Giant Maiden Grass)
Panicum virgatum 'Cloud Nine' (a big blue switchgrass)Sorgastrum nutans (not as tall, but nice yet)

I have had this plant 9 years and have divided it 3 or 4 times. When planted in the sun and watered it grows to great heights and spreads the size of the root system. When planted in the shade it does not grow very tall, and may die back after a couple of years. It is very difficult to divide because the dried canes are very hard. You need to chop it apart with a sharp spade or axe. Fortunately the roots do not grow too deep, so if you need to move the entire plant you can dig under the plant to free it up.

My bush is four years old. I don't add fertilizer or water and plant is healthy. My plumes are dry in August, many neighbors have new, healthy plumes.

This grass is a Nebraska native normally found along river banks.
I started with a purchased pot of Ravenna grass and for the first year it was slow to take off. By the second year, the grass "came into its own" and reached 4 to 5 feet high at the bend of the leaves (the entire leaf reaches 10 feet or more in length).
On its second year, the plant bloomed 12 foot tall (almost bamboo-like) spires topped with semi-full cream colored seed plumes. I have very fertile open soil and as of yet, have had only 5 seeds germinate in over 4 years.
In my experience, the grass is a solitary clump grower, spreading its growth circle each year. Now in its 4th year, the clump grew large enough to shade a section of my small garden and I divided the clump into three pieces (each piece being the diameter of a 5 gallon bucket)and moved them to a new very open location.
If you have garden snakes, they will find protection inside the columns of grass. Something to be aware of when the time comes to trim the grass down or divide it in the Spring.
In conclusion, I greatly enjoy this grass and would recommend it for anyone having 10 feet of open ground and for anyone wanting to make an "impact statement" in their yard. I live in the central part of Nebraska where summer's high humidity and temperature are followed by winter's blizzards. Neither have an impact on this great grass.

On invasives lists in California.