Pampas (Cordaderia selloana) is a plague on the northern landscapes of New Zealand. Often confused for the native plant Toetoe (Austroderia) , which comes in five subspecies (A. toetoe, A. fulvida, A. splendens, A. richardii and A. turbaria).

Pampas grows quickly and is tough to remove, it acts in direct opposition to the two native toetoe species that are stocked by Rural Design and prominent in the north (A. fulvida, A. splendens).

Toetoe: Note the drooping flower heads

Landcare research has a table which outlines the key differences between the two plants. The key visual difference that is easy spottable erect flower of the pampus against the drooping flower of the toetoe. Toetoe are excellent ground cover and can grow in a variety of locations and soil types. A. splendens is a coastal variety that can handle sandier and drier locations, whereas A. fulvida likes wetter locations.

Pampas: With erect flower heads.