The Pampas of South America are a grassland biome. They are flat, fertile plains that covers an area of 300,000 sq. miles or 777,000 square kilometers, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Andes Mountains. It is found primarily in Argentina and extends into Uruguay. The climate in the pampas is humid and warm.

Pampas

Best known for being the home of the gauchos, Argentina’s famous baggy-trousered cowboys, the pampa stretches south and west from Buenos Aires. It’s a region of endless yawning plains, the fertile soils of which support succulent pasture for the country’s revered beef cattle, along with golden wheat and sunflowers.

The pampas and campos of Argentina, Uruguay, and southern Brazil are extensive grasslands located in the eastern part of the South American southern cone (Figure 14.1). Foragers have inhabited this wide area since the end of the Pleistocene; only in Late Holocene times did some groups become horticulturists.

Many plants native to Argentina are cultivated world wide as ornamentals.

• Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana)
• Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
• Cardon Cacti.
• Monkey Puzzle Tree (Araucaria araucana)

The total area of the Pampas planted in sorghum and soybeans has grown since 1960 to rank just behind that of wheat and corn. These crops also serve primarily as livestock feed and are valuable for export. Another crop of the northern Pampas is flax.

The Pampas in Argentina are most well known for the great biodiversity in the area. These South American grasslands hold roughly 400 species of birds and around 100 different species of terrestrial mammals (Argentine Wildlife Foundation).

Cortaderia selloana

Rous County Council’s Kim Curtis said under the Biosecurity Act it was still illegal to sell pampas grass on the NSW north coast even if it had been irradiated because it was impossible to tell which plants had been treated. “It gets in your nose and mouth, and there are so many other beautiful wild grasses.”

Why is it bad? Pampas grass is a giant tussock forming perennial grass with saw toothed leaves and white to pink flower plumes. Pampas grass seeds itself freely, dispersing long distances. Once established, it can crowd out native plants, damage grazing lands, and create a fire hazard.

Homeowners who have children and pets in their home must be careful when choosing landscaping plants for their yard or garden. Pampas grass is a good choice because it is non-toxic to animals and humans.

Pampas grass crowds out coastal sage habitat for birds and other wildlife. There is no law prohibiting the sale or use of pampas grass in California, but some nurseries have stopped carrying it. Activists are trying to get it on a list of banned plants.

In NSW it is now an offence to grow, sell or buy pampas grass and there is a $10,000 fine for anyone found breaking this law.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states that pampas grass is non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses.

Geranium – Commonly grown in outdoor gardens, containers, and hanging baskets, the Pelargonium species is toxic for pets, causing skin rashes, low blood pressure, lethargy, and loss of appetite.

Foxtail plants are a weed-type grass that can cause serious problems for dogs. According to the ASPCA, dogs can experience vomiting with blood, dilated pupils, depression, increased saliva and anorexia after eating this ornamental plant.

Lavender, the plant, does contain a small amount of a compound called linalool, which is toxic to both dogs and cats. The linalool is found in such small concentrations, however, that this is rarely an issue. Problems arise only if a dog ingests a very large quantity of lavender.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), lavender plants are toxic to cats and can cause nausea and vomiting. “Lavender contains linalool and linalyl acetate, and cats lack the enzymes necessary to process these compounds,” says Dr.

Lavender is on the ASPCA’s list of plants that are toxic to dogs. That’s because lavender contains linalool and linalyl acetate, both of which can be toxic at high levels. Typical signs of lavender toxicity in dogs are nausea and vomiting.

The leaves, petals and flowering tips of lavender can be used raw in salad. You only need a little. Great taste and colour. The leaves, petals and flowering tips can also be added to soups, pasta sauces and stews.

There are many, many types of culinary lavender cultivars, but most of them are types of True Lavender, vs. intermedia) is edible, as is all lavender, but its flavor can be resinous and pungent. A Lavandin type will make a dish taste bitter.

When you look at your culinary lavender, you should mostly see bud. No matter where you get your culinary lavender, make sure: 1) you know what kind it is (Angustifolia) and 2) that it’s been cleaned. Lavender is very popular in sweet and savory dishes.

Both the flowers and leaves can be eaten and have a pleasant yet slightly bitter flavor. Lavender grows throughout southern Europe, Australia and the United States. Dried lavender has only a few calories per tablespoon and is free of fat and cholesterol.

Lavender is a unique herb in that every part of the plant—bud, stem, and leaf—can be used in cooking. While the lavender flowers and leaves can be used fresh, the buds and stems can be used dried. Since the lavender flavor intensifies when the herb is dried, the dried buds should be used sparingly.

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals states the common lavender plant (Lavandula angustifolia) contains linlool and linalyl acetate, two compounds toxic to cats (and found in other flowers like bergamot). Basically, in any form, lavender can make your kitty sick as heck.

Top 10 Rarest Coat Colors and Patterns in Cats

1. Chocolate. The chocolate (or brown) coat color is encoded by a recessive allele b of the primary gene for coat color (B/b/b1).
2. Cinnamon. The cinnamon coat is also encoded by a recessive allele (b1) of the primary gene for coat color (B/b/b1).
3. Smoke.
4. Lilac.
5. Fawn.
6. Cream.
7. Chinchilla.
8. Color-point.

Essential oils that are known to cause poisoning in cats include oil of wintergreen, oil of sweet birch, citrus oil (d-limonene), pine oils, Ylang Ylang oil, peppermint oil, cinnamon oil, pennyroyal oil, clove oil, eucalyptus oil, and tea tree oil.

A few common essential oils that are SAFE to use for your cat include lavender, copaiba, helichrysum, and frankincense. If you diffuse oils in your home, it should not cause a problem for your cat, as oil used in a diffuser is highly diluted (versus direct topical application or dietary supplementation).