Cyperus papyrus is a water loving herbaceous perennial native to Africa. In its native environment it grows in full sun, in flooded swamps and on lake margins throughout Africa, Madagascar, and the Mediterranean countries. Though most think it is grass, it is actually a sedge, like carex, and is part of the Cyparaceae family.
Papyrus sedge has a very long history most notably with the Ancient Egyptians. This is the source of one of the first types of paper ever made. It was also used to make baskets, sandals, blankets, medicine, incense, and boats. The woody root was used to make bowls and utensils, and was burned for fuel.
Did you know that of the young shoots be eaten both cooked and raw? (I did not but now I have to give it a try!)
I’ve been growing papyrus for about 5 years in full sun planted in sunken pond liners. They die back with hard frost but return every spring, growing vigorously through the heat of the summer. Most of all I love it for its ornamental, dynamic qualities! I think it is a worthy specimen of every garden, even as a summer annual.
This plant was popularized more than a decade ago by Proven Winners, and sold as “King Tut Grass”. That was how I first discovered it, and have been growing it ever since.
HOW DO I GROW IT?
As I mentioned above, I have 3 hard plastic 10-25gl pond liners sunken into the ground through-out my landscape borders. I originally installed these to grow Lotus and “mosquito fish”. They are permanent- they stay filled with water year round from rain. I rarely need to add hose water.
About 5 years I was shopping at Big Bloomers Flower Farm and indulged in a few of these plants. I grew them in decorative pots with no holes- just like I do rice- until they outgrew those and I had to figure out what to do with them. As an experiment I potted a few pieces and stuck them into various ponds. That is was is still growing today. I never unpotted them- I assume they have rooted through those post into the soil that has settled in the bottom of the ponds.
They die back with frost but have survived, sunken in water, for 5 winters now. Each spring fresh shoots emerge and they grow to 8+’ tall through the summer.
Frogs live in these pond, as do the original mosquito fish. Duck weed covers the surface and you can’t even see the plastic pond liner.