We’ve seen papyrus — in African landscapes, woven into newspaper and as backdrops to exotic resort destinations — but how and where does papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) flourish out of these cases? Is living along the Nile River necessary for developing it? While it’s true that papyrus naturally develops in tropical bogs and along stream borders, it is able and eager to be cultivated at a residential garden as well. If you’ve decided to include a water garden in your landscape or are plagued by poorly drained soil, papyrus might be the plant for you. What could be better at the oppressive heat of summer in relation to the whirring of your flourishing papyrus plants swaying in the wind?
Carolyn Chadwick
Botanical name: Cyperus papyrus
Common names: Papyrus, Egyptian papyrus
USDA zones: 9 to 11 (find your zone)
Water requirement:Water adoring
moderate requirement:Full sun to partial shade
Mature dimensions:6 to 10 feet tall; 2 to 4 feet wide
Advantages and tolerances: Prefers moist lands
Seasonal attention:Blooms July through September; dormant in winter
When to plant: Plant seedlings and split in spring
Studio H Landscape Architecture
Distinguishing attributes. Papyrus is distinguished by its long, gracefully arching stems that can reach up to ten feet in length. Topping the stems are 1-foot-long sprays of fibrous stems. These clusters will continue to fill out until they form a soft crown. Terminal flower clusters appear in summer, followed by little berries.
Bercy Chen Studio
King Tut papyrus, shown here, is a award-winning and appealing papyrus cultivar.
How to use it. Papyrus is commonly seen planted along ponds and aquatic gardens, owing to its natural habitat. Permit the plant to form a mass in order to create a gentle and natural focus along with companion aquatic plants such as water lilies (Nymphaea spp) or lotus (Nelumbo spp).
Papyrus develops rapidly, therefore it’s recommended that you plant it together big water features or plant it in a container and then put the container from the water. This will stop the plant from taking over the pond and make maintenance easier.
Stephanie Ann Davis Landscape Design
Papyrus tolerates standing water in addition to relatively dry soil, therefore it can also be utilized in rain gardens or as dry riverbeds.
Make Architecture
You can even plant papyrus in containers for a more structured and minimalist effect. Minimize drainage by plugging holes.
Grounded – Richard Risner RLA, ASLA
Planting notes. Papyrus is native to warm climates and therefore isn’t appropriate for growing outdoors anyplace. In some ponds, papyrus is treated as an annual or brought indoors over winter. While it typically goes dormant in all ponds over winter, rhizomes protected from frost underground may resprout in spring.
Papyrus grows best in rich, fertile soils that maintain continuous moisture — it will grow in shallow water. It is more of a marginal plant also doesn’t grow well in deep water such as water lilies will. Plant it in full to partial sun, while enabling it to thrive in partial shade. It is a plant that requires medium maintenance — keep the soil wet, eliminate old culms (stems) after flowering and protect it from wind for the best success.
See more guides to great design crops