A pampas grass Christmas tree, if social media is anything to go by, is definitely a trend this year — though not one I have any intention of encouraging.
As a floral designer, I first noticed a surge of interest in these fluffy stems in the early days of lockdown. We sold loads of them online when the shops were closed — they did very well when dyed in pastels or brighter colours.
Younger women especially seemed to like them — the 1970s subtext of pampas grass in the front garden being a sign of willingness to indulge in suburban swingers’ parties was lost on them.
I think in the early days of the pandemic, pampas provided a bit of fun and frippery at a time when the world felt pretty dark.
A pampas grass Christmas tree, if social media is anything to go by, is definitely a trend this year — though not one I have any intention of encouraging
Younger women especially seemed to like them — the 1970s subtext of pampas grass in the front garden being a sign of willingness to indulge in suburban swingers’ parties was lost on them
A vase with 20 stems created high impact — and didn’t need to speak to anything more than brightening up a room and providing some interest on Instagram.
But now modelled into a Christmas tree? I’m not so sure. Don’t you feel itchy just looking at some of these limp, sorry creations, with their grassy echoes of pagan nature rituals from yesteryear?
At Christmas, I believe we should take great comfort from tradition. And this December, after the damp squib last year’s festivities ended up being for so many, that feels more important than ever.
It’s difficult to hang the special baubles you’ve treasured down the years from a frothy pampas plume (the decorations you see above are, in fact, attached to the wire frame to which the branches are secured to make the tree shape). Try to pin a child’s home-made star on the top and you’ll probably bring the whole thing crashing down.
What is pampas grass?
Popular in the 1970s, pampas grass fell out of fashion thanks to an urban myth suggesting plants in suburban front gardens were a code signalling the residents were up for wife-swapping.
Originally from warmer climates, there are 24 species, most growing between two and three metres tall, with fluffy plumes that can be cut down and dried.
Incredibly invasive, it’s banned in some U.S. states, but is now popping up in trendy flower shops at between £3 and £16 per stem. Some councils in Britain have even had to issue warnings against stealing it, after plants in parks, along coastlines and in gardens were targeted.
WHY’S IT BACK IN VOGUE?
Its newfound popularity is partly down to celebrities such as Stacey Solomon, cleaning influencer Mrs Hinch and ITV presenter Rochelle Humes, who all have several displays in their homes. Easily this year’s must-have home decor item, there are more than 554,000 #pampasgrass mentions on Instagram.
‘We’ve seen a real rise in the popularity of dried flowers and grasses like pampas recently, fuelled mainly by people’s interest in sustainability, as unlike perishable real blooms, dried ones are long-lasting,’ says Selina Kerley from London florist McQueens Flowers, who recently launched dried-flower-arranging classes after a surge in demand.
‘Pampas has such a lovely nature. It’s really versatile and suitable for both large-scale installations and just a few stems in a vase. Anyone can style it; it can be left natural or dyed different colours; and it looks good anywhere.’
Pampas wreaths, table decorations and overhead arrangements first started appearing last Christmas. But this year it seems we’ve reached peak pampas, with whole trees made of the frothy foliage and decorated with lights and colour-coordinated baubles.
HOW DO I MAKE A TREE?
This is not for those on a budget. You’ll need as many as 200 stems to make a 6 ft tree, costing upwards of £600, and even a 2 ft ready-made tree can be almost £300.
They’re also not for anyone with hay fever because the abundance of grass seeds makes it a trigger for allergies. Unlike pampas in your garden, as long as they have been properly dried, your tree should not attract bugs.
To make one, first bend a large piece of chicken wire into a cone shape, or use a ready-made polystyrene cone (from craft stores or Amazon). Place pampas grass stems of varying lengths (shortest at the top) into the holes of the chicken wire, working top to bottom, following a tree shape. If you’re using a foam cone, cut the stems at an angle, so they make a point at the ends. This will help them push into the foam more easily.
Pampas can be even more problematic than pine when it comes to shedding. Prevent bits dropping off by spraying your tree with hairspray — but be careful, as hairspray is flammable.
Not up to making an entire tree? Try poking plumes of grass and other dried flowers into a real Christmas tree for a boho look on a budget.
You’ll need as many as 200 stems to make a 6 ft tree, costing upwards of £600, and even a 2 ft ready-made tree can be almost £300
CAN I DECORATE IT?
When it comes to decorating, pampas ‘branches’ aren’t like a normal pine — they’re wispy grasses. So you can’t really hang things on them. You have to wire up baubles and poke them into the foam or chicken wire frame under the pampas. Alternatively, use other dried flowers to provide interest, or use pampas grass dyed in different colours.
You can wind fairy lights around it, but only use LED battery-operated ones, rather than plug-in lights. LEDs, which are brighter, won’t heat up — but make sure to place the transformer for the lights in a safe place because it will get hot. Pampas is already flammable — and spraying it with hairspray makes it even more so. After Christmas, take your tree apart and store the plumes in a box somewhere dry until next year.
WHERE DO I BUY IT?
Most local florists will stock pampas —expect to pay £3-6 per stem.
For a wide variety of sizes, varieties and colours, try etsy.co.uk, or for those with allergies coxandcox.co.uk sell faux pampas. Dedicated online sellers include thepampascollection.uk, threesisters farm.co.uk and pampasandbloom.co.uk who also sell ready-made wreaths
Interior designer Abigail Ahern has also created a range of pampas heads mounted on faux stems for easy arranging (abigailahern.com). While you can pick your own, be warned it needs to dry out hung upside down for almost three weeks before it can be fashioned into a tree — meaning you will just about be able to put one up on Christmas Eve.
Worryingly, they’re surely fire hazards. I certainly wouldn’t want to put a candle in the same room as this much-dried grass.
There will be those who will argue that a pampas grass tree is low maintenance, but that’s untrue
These will shed just as much as any pine tree you’d bring inside, without the gorgeous festive smell. They’ll also be dust traps
These grass confections look more like something the cat dragged in than a festive centrepiece that the family can gather around on Christmas morning.
And, worryingly, they’re surely fire hazards. I certainly wouldn’t want to put a candle in the same room as this much-dried grass.
There’s nothing traditional or festive about them, which is the whole point of the biggest decoration we set up in our homes.
There will be those who will argue that a pampas grass tree is low maintenance, but that’s untrue: these will shed just as much as any pine tree you’d bring inside, without the gorgeous festive smell. They’ll also be dust traps.
I do find the pampas grass wreaths — another variation on the festive theme — very attractive
And watch out if you’re allergic to grass pollen — a pampas tree may set off hay fever at a time of year you’d usually enjoy some respite.
That said, I do find the pampas grass wreaths — another variation on the festive theme — very attractive. So if you insist on buying into this trend, then I’d say that’s the way to go. But keep them indoors rather than on your front door — any rain will ruin them.
For those intent on having a pampas tree, keep it simple. The only way I can see it working is if it’s kept very plain and placed a long way from candles or an open fire — and far from my Instagram feed, if you can help it.
My best hope is that this new take on a traditional pine tree ends up being a short-lived fad that we can all quickly move on from and forget ever happened.
Honestly, I find them absolutely awful.