''Cyperus alternifolius'', the umbrella papyrus, umbrella sedge or umbrella palm, is a grass-like plant in the very large genus ''
Cyperus
''Cyperus'' is a large genus of about 700 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions.
Description
They are annual or perennial plants, mostly aquatic and growing in still or slow-moving w ...
'' of the
sedge
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' wit ...
family
Cyperaceae
The Cyperaceae are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as sedges. The family is large, with some 5,500 known species described in about 90 genera, the largest being the "true sedges" genus ''Carex'' w ...
. The plant is native to
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...
,
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
and the
Arabian Peninsula
The Arabian Peninsula, (; ar, شِبْهُ الْجَزِيرَةِ الْعَرَبِيَّة, , "Arabian Peninsula" or , , "Island of the Arabs") or Arabia, is a peninsula of Western Asia, situated northeast of Africa on the Arabian Plate ...
, but widely distributed throughout the world.
It has gained the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nort ...
's
Award of Garden Merit
The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions.
History
The Award of Garden Merit ...
.
The subspecies ''Cyperus alternifolius'' ssp. ''flabelliformis'' is also known as ''Cyperus involucratus'' .
Cultivation
''Cyperus alternifolius'' is frequently cultivated as an
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...
worldwide. It is planted in gardens in the ground, pots, in ponds, and as a
houseplant
A houseplant, sometimes known as a pot plant, potted plant, or an indoor plant, is an ornamental plant that is grown indoors. As such, they are found in places like residences and offices, mainly for decorative purposes. Common houseplants are us ...
. It is not
hardy, and requires protection when temperatures fall below
[ (]USDA
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...
Zones: 9a–11b). It is propagated by dividing the roots and requires copious amounts of water. The cultivar ''Cyperus alternifolius'' 'Variegatus' is grown for its variegated foliage and smaller size.
See also
* List of ''Cyperus'' species
References
External links
*
alternifolius
Freshwater plants
House plants
Garden plants of Africa
Flora of Madagascar
Flora of Eritrea
Flora of Ethiopia
Flora of Somalia
Flora of Sudan
Flora of Kenya
Flora of Tanzania
Flora of Uganda
Flora of Malawi
Flora of Mozambique
Flora of Zimbabwe
Flora of Réunion
Plants described in 1772
Taxa named by Christen Friis Rottbøll
{{Cyperus-stub