Re: Euphorbia and Cortaderia boo-boo?

Ah yes, Cortaderia jubata is such a horrible weed here
in coastal central California that even the NZ native,
Cortaderia toetoe, generates suspicion among many.
Besides fennel and broom, nothing is so dispiriting as
the sight of those cut-rate inflorescences raised on
hillsides over the sea. And even the luxurious, Afghan
hound-tail blossoms of C. selloana have a sinister
aspect in light of their cousin's proliferation.
-Jason Dewees
San Francisco, California

--- Tony and Moira Ryan <tomory@xtra.co.nz> wrote:
> Vavourakis wrote:
> > The last few years when cutting back my pampas
> grass I have suffered what looks
> > like "whip burns" on my skin from contact with the
> leaves.  I've read that the
> > leaves can "cut" the skin, but this definitely is
> not from cutting, but
> > acid-like burns...  This year I left the plant to
> go without its annual haircut
> > and it's become a monster-about 3 meters wide and
> almost that tall...  Has
> > anyone experienced this and can someone recommend
> a good way to prune cortaderia
> > to keep its shape?
> 
> Karen
> I wonder if you are actually right about it not
> being cuts. This and 
> similar large grasses like sugar cane are notorious
> for their sharp leaf 
> edges strengthened with silica which cut as
> delicately as the finest 
> razor. I don't think I would want to tackle a clump
> myself without some 
> protection.
> 
> One of the following might help:-
> Protective clothing (a thickish plastic parka for
> instance).
> Long handled snips of some kind.
> A powered hedge trimmer or even a string trimmer.
> 
> Incidently, for those who are generally concerned
> about the unwanted 
> spread of  exotics this species, though perfectly
> well behaved in our 
> district and any cooler areas, is outlawed in all
> the  warmer parts of 
> NZ because it seeds so prolifically it had begun to
> take over not only 
> many wild areas but,  even more seriously, to spread
> into the farms and 
> occupy pasture.
> 
> Moira
> 
> -- 
> Tony & Moira Ryan,
> Wainuiomata, North Island, NZ.     Pictures of our
> garden at:-
>
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/cherie1/Garden/TonyandMoira/index.htm
>
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