![]() Controlling sedge weeds is important to sustain the wild, native populations and encourage the health of the ecosystem. The African native plant will quickly colonize local areas and can endanger wild species of plants. Umbrella sedge weed is a problem in areas with moist, boggy, and natural terrain. ![]() This dwarf form will grow no more than a foot (30 cm.) tall and has the same flat, wide bracts as the common umbrella sedge. The dwarf umbrella sedge is probably the most popular, however, and produces a low profile plant perfect for marginal planting. There are also several types of umbrella sedge useful for the landscape. It was previously identified as Cyperus alternifolius but is now recognized as Cyperus diandrus. There is some confusion as to the identification by botanists of umbrella flat sedge. If you keep the flower heads plucked, umbrella sedge weed makes an attractive addition to the home pond or water feature. The plant then forms a complex tangled root system, which can make removal from unwanted areas difficult. Umbrella flat sedge grows quickly from seed that falls in moist, organic rich soil. The tiny seeds form shortly after the flowers decline and are borne in small oval fruits, hard and brown as nuts. Umbrella flat sedge flowers from May until November. These in turn become the tiny brown-scattered seeds and are the cause of the plant's other name, umbrella sedge weed. These modified leaves produce a cluster of florets where it attaches to the main stem. It has no recognizable leaves, but produces bracts at the top of the stem, which resemble umbrella spokes. Umbrella sedge is a tall grass, which can get up to 16 inches (40 cm.) in height and grows in clumps of plants. Re-pot the new plants and grow them as usual.So then, exactly what is umbrella sedge and how do I recognize it in the landscape? The plant is attractive and related to the bulrushes and papyrus of Biblical Nile fame. Cut apart the papyrus rhizomes into groups of two or three. Wait until the danger of frost has passed and un-pot or dig up the plant. You can grow and share your papyrus plant through division in spring. In the correct zones with light and moist conditions, care of papyrus plant is easy for even a novice gardener. Papyrus grass has no damaging pests or diseases except rust fungus, which will discolor the stems and foliage. You can give it a balanced fertilizer in spring to support the growth of the huge stems. Pruning is not necessary except to remove errant or broken stems. Mulching in zone 8 can help protect the tender roots but the foliage will likely die back in winter. Papyrus need little extra care to thrive, provided it is kept moist. Even in their native conditions, the plant does not easily spread by seed. Papyrus seeds do not readily germinate and can take a month or more to sprout. The plant needs to be kept moist, if not submerged. It can also be planted directly into 3 feet (1 m.) of muddy substrate to hold the heavy stems upright. Papyrus is usually planted by rhizomes in moist, fertile soil in pots and then submerged in an aquatic environment. It prefers full sun but can also be raised in partial shade. Papyrus has no frost tolerance and should be moved indoors for the winter. The stems are rigid and triangular and have a white pith inside. Papyrus can grow up to 10 feet (3 m.) tall from rhizomes. These sprays of foliage radiate out like the spokes in an umbrella. The plant is called umbrella plant because it has a grass-like habit with sprays of foliage at the top of the stems. Papyrus plant is suitable for USDA plant hardiness zones 8 to 10 and requires a full sun location, in shallow water or riparian areas. ![]() Umbrella plant or bulrush are other names for the plant. ![]() What is papyrus? It is a plant in the genus Cyperus, which is native to Madagascar. There are numerous names for papyrus grass.
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