Recognising Gamba Grass. Gamba grass is an erect tussock-forming grass that grows up to 3-4 metres high. It forms dense clumps up to 70 cm wide, and they are light green in colour. Leaf blades are 30-60 cm long and up to 3 cm wide with a distinctive white midrib and are covered with soft hair (see photo). The hairs are most noticeable when the sun catches it at certain angles and these hairs hold droplets of water on the leaves after dew or rain.

Gamba grass reproduces from seed, flowering in April with seed reaching maturity by late May. The flower heads are on thick stems that are held well above the leaves of the plant (See photo). The flowers consist of loosely branched hairy spikelets, giving the flowers a fluffy appearance.