Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius
Umbrella papyrus, umbrella grass
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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty
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We guarantee the quality of our plants for a full growing cycle, and will replace at our expense any plant that fails to recover under normal climatic and planting conditions.
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Description
Cyperus alternifolius, also known as Umbrella Papyrus or Alternate-leaved Sedge, is a large perennial plant that thrives in moist soils and mild climates. Its silhouette is reminiscent of the Papyrus of the Nile, with its slender, rigid stems topped by narrow bracts arranged in umbels. It has an equally decorative, architectural appearance. However, its habit remains more compact and upright, and it is better adapted to the dry air often found in our homes. Evergreen, but sensitive to cold, this plant can only be grown in the ground in the mildest regions, where winters are rarely exposed to frosts (-4°C). The yellowish-green flowering has limited ornamental interest, but produces seeds that allow the plant to be easily propagated.
Cyperus belongs to the Cyperaceae family, from which it takes its name, and is home to over a hundred genera and around 5000 species. They form herbaceous clumps, often perennial, and are well represented in our gardens by the variously coloured Carex, sometimes mistakenly taken for grasses. The Cyperus genus is rich with 400 species, mostly from tropical and subtropical zones, though with a few representatives in temperate climates. The most famous is undoubtedly Cyperus papyrus or Papyrus of the Nile, the "true" Egyptian Papyrus. Cyperus alternifolius itself originates from Madagascar, where it grows in marshes. This vigorous semi-aquatic plant produces numerous rigid, leafless stems from its rhizome that can reach approximately one metre in height in our latitudes, with a spread of more or less 50 cm. It gradually spreads sideways, with no real limit to its expansion. At the end of each stem, a rather narrow crown forms, made up of fine, stiff bracts arranged in bright green rays. In spring, an inflorescence appears at the heart of this crown, composed of tiny, light yellow flowers that turn brown in summer as they ripen. These flowers produce light seeds, easily dispersed by the wind. In the wild, this allows the plant to spread by sowing. When harvested, they can be used to propagate it indoors. In its native lands, this Cyperus also spreads vegetatively through the extension of its rhizomes. Unlike the true Papyrus of the Nile, it can be propagated very simply by immersing its leafy heads in water.
Cyperus alternifolius is a remarkable waterside plant for very mild climates where frost is brief and not intense. It also proves excellent in containers, on a terrace or indoors. Its cultivation is simple, provided the growing medium remains constantly moist. It will be at its best when grown in a small above-ground pond, or on a bank where you can associate it with Schizostylis coccinea, the crimson flag lily, with its superb autumn flowering of a brilliant red. Stunning as a standalone specimen, it also integrates harmoniously, in the ground as in pots, with Cannas whose ample foliage will create a very interesting contrast in forms compared to the fineness of the Umbrella Papyrus, while the brilliance of the flowers will add colour from July to early autumn. Grown indoors, where it is good to mist it during warm periods, it will have an air-purifying effect.
Cyperus alternifolius seeds - Umbrella papyrus in pictures
Flowering
Foliage
Plant habit
Botanical data
Cyperus
alternifolius
Cyperaceae
Umbrella papyrus, umbrella grass
Cyperus frondosus, Cyperus racemosus, Cyperus onustus
Madagascar
Planting and care
Sowing Advice:
Sowing Papyrus is a little delicate. First, soak the seeds in water for 24 hours, then sow indoors, in warmth, in February-March, in trays or pots filled with a good quality seed compost. Press the seeds gently to make them cling to the surface of the compost, which you should keep moist, then cover very lightly. A pane of glass or a transparent propagator lid should be placed over your tray or seed box. Keep everything at a temperature of 20 to 25°C. Germination occurs after 21 to 28 days. If germination does not occur within this time, place your sowings in a transparent plastic bag and put it in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 weeks.
When the young plants are developed enough to be handled, prick them out individually into pots and acclimatise them gradually outdoors once the frosts have passed. Then plant them out once they are well established in their final position, in large pots or in the ground.
Growing:
Plant Papyrus in a very sunny position, in a mixture of compost and garden soil kept constantly moist, for example by placing a deep saucer constantly filled with water under the pot. From April to the end of September, apply a liquid fertiliser twice a month. Cut back dry stems in November. Overwinter your Cyperus frost-free, but in a very sunny room, with little or no heating (around 12°C). If you are growing Papyrus indoors, it is essential to mist its foliage very regularly, due to the often too-dry atmosphere of our homes. In the warm season, from April-May to October, your pot of Cyperus can take pride of place on the terrace or balcony, in full sun. Exposure to harsh sun should be done in stages, so as not to burn the foliage when it emerges from winter. Divide your papyrus when it becomes too large, and give pieces as gifts to your friends and neighbours. Watch for the appearance of whiteflies or red spider mites indoors. These pests develop in dry, warm atmospheres.
In the ground, if winter temperatures do not drop too low, the submerged stump can survive, and the plant may regenerate the following spring. In colder regions, it is essential to grow this Cyperus in a pot.
Sowing period
Intended location
Planting & care advice
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a (East Coast and Midlands: Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny, Portlaoise). It will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the north-west (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal, Westport), delay planting by 1 to 2 weeks in spring and bring it forward by 1 to 2 weeks in autumn compared to the dates given, preferably choosing periods without strong winds.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (Wicklow Mountains, Macgillycuddy’s Reeks, Connemara, Killarney), it is best to plant in spring (April–May) or autumn (September–October), avoiding periods of waterlogged soil in winter and strong winds, which pose the main risk to newly planted trees in these areas.
The flowering period indicated on our website applies to regions in USDA Zone 9a, such as the East Coast and Midlands, including Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Kilkenny and Portlaoise.
This will vary depending on where you live:
- On the west coast and in the northwest (Galway, Limerick, Sligo, Donegal and Westport), it will be delayed by one to two weeks compared to the given dates, due to stronger Atlantic winds and less spring sunshine.
- In the inland hills and plateaus (the Wicklow Mountains, the Macgillycuddy's Reeks, Connemara and Killarney), flowering will be delayed by two to three weeks. Flowering mainly occurs between May and July, with the limiting factors being less frost and more of the excessive humidity, strong winds and lack of sunshine that are characteristic of these areas.
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