John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's Textural Pampas Grass Christmas Tree Is Anything But Ordinary – and It’s Giving Me Big Garden Goals for 2026

Some holiday decor stops you in your tracks – not because it’s loud or glittery, but because it’s unexpectedly beautiful. Three years on, I can't stop thinking about Chrissy Teigen and John Legend's stunning pampas grass Christmas tree. It was a neutral-colored, minimalist creation with a light aesthetic. Rather than pesky needles that dry and fall off or ornaments that can break, their tree featured soft plumes that looked like feathers, warm tones, and heaps of natural texture. The earth-toned, unexpected display proved that holiday decorations don’t have to follow tradition to feel festive and Christmassy.

If you’ve ever looked at the ornamental grasses in your garden and wondered what to do with them, now is your time. This year, bring them inside for a quirky Christmas tree. Pampas grass, miscanthus, pennisetum, calamagrostis, and other tall grasses can be arranged to mimic a tree, and with a little creativity, your garden’s texture can become the star of your living room. More importantly, let them inspire you to experiment with textural grasses in your garden in the new year.

Start With Pampas Grass as the Star

Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) is the natural choice for a holiday “tree.” It’s oversized, feathery plumes create instant volume, especially when gathered into a cone shape.

If you don’t grow pampas grass in your garden, you can find dried pieces like these on Amazon. And, if you want to start growing it in time for next Christmas, try this one from Southern Living Plant Collection, available at Lowe’s.

Use Miscanthus & Tall Grasses to Build Structure

Chrissy and John’s pampas tree worked because it mixed height and texture, and miscanthus is perfect for that. The upright stems and tassel plumes make a great frame for a tree-like display.

According to leading ornamental grass specialist Neil Lucas, “Many of the main groups, such as the pampas and miscanthus, are perfectly fine when used as cut flowers. By this time of year, they’re effectively dried anyway, so they tend to last well without water. They can also be sprayed different colors very effectively, though personally I feel they work best in more restrained tones like silvers and golds.”

If you want even more texture or need filler material for your arrangement, consider pennisetum (fountain grass), calamagrostis, panicum, molinia, or deschampsia.

Build a Tree-Like Arrangement

You can create your own pampas “tree” in two ways:

1. Use a real tree frame: A tomato cage or wire cone, like this one from Amazon, makes an excellent base. Zip-tie grass stems around the structure from bottom to top. This creates a stable, sculptural shape.

2. Use a large vase or urn: Put tall bunches at the back, medium in the center, and smaller grasses toward the front. This creates a soft, cascading silhouette. For an added holiday look, wrap warm white string lights around.

Combine Grasses with Dried Flowers & Winter Greens

A natural, outdoorsy look is what makes grass-based décor feel polished rather than rustic. Lucas expands on this, saying, “Grasses work so well in gardens because they offer a distinctive linearity – from their leaves to their overall habit – which can be recreated very effectively in festive displays. They also offer an immense variety in flower shape and form. Combined with dried flower heads of perennials such as Joe Pye weed, and perhaps some seasonal green from conifers and red-stemmed Cornus, you can create truly distinctive, seasonally appropriate arrangements.”

Think of your grasses as the “base” and everything else, like dried seed heads, evergreen sprigs, branches, or berries, as finishing touches.

Chrissy Teigen and John Legend showed the world that a bit of nature from your own garden can transform holiday decorations into something more creative than just putting ornaments on a Christmas tree.