I love pampas grass season in Bodega Bay. The beautiful thick, feathery plumes line both sides of Hwy. 1 and the surrounding hillsides as you wind down into town. You'll also find patches in other areas including this stretch of Westshore Rd. along Bodega Harbor.
The silky "featherduster" plumes start out as a pink-purple color then gradually turn a warm white. The stalks grow as high as 6-8 ft. and are surrounded by tall, thin, sticky, sharp leaves. In fact, they are so sharp, they're a barrier to animal movement and have been known to cut the hide of deer trying to walk through them!
Unfortunately pampas grass is not native and it's highly invasive throughout the California coast. Authorities have taken steps to eradicate this opportunistic grass and discourage people from planting it on their property. They say it's an aggressive colonizer that competes with native vegetation, displacing native coastal dunes and other shrubs.
I get it and I won't plant any in our yard, but you just can't help admiring the beauty of these majestic grasses blooming now in all their glory!
