Umbrella Palm – Indoor House Plants

Umbrella Palm is also called as Umbrella Papyrus (Cyperus alternifolius). The plant is a graceful clump of bare, slender stems, each stem capped by a whorl of leaves radiating out like the ribs of a naked umbrella. The stems are two to four feet tall and each leaf four to eight inches long. It develops in the form of shrubs and in most cases these are wrongly mistaken for grasses with which they have little in common, apart from appearance. Umbrella Papyrus has grassy leaves growing in among the stems at its base. There is also a white-speckled form of umbrella plant and a wispy one with especially thin leaves and stems. Umbrella Papyrus is not finicky about care other than watering. They grow best in sunny windows, however, will get along in any bright room. It proves an excellent choice for smaller ponds and container water gardens.

Scientific Name: Cyperus alternifolius
Common Name: Umbrella papyrus, Umbrella sedge or Umbrella palm.

How to grow and maintain Umbrella palm:

Light:
Umbrella palm can be grown well in full sun, bright light, light shade, or medium shade. It’s very adaptable and accommodating for the most part. If things are too dark it will tell you by producing very few new shoots or stems.

Temperature:
A temperature goes between 10°C / 50°F to 22°C / 72°F will be perfect. Cooler temperatures down to around 4°C / 39°F are accepted for short periods. Be watchful if things get too warm as this will cause a fast drying of the soil resulting in more frequent watering.

Water:
Give water for the umbrella papyrus plant as normal. It can grow in standing water or moist potting soil.

Fertilizer:
Fertilize actively growing papyrus plants once per week. Use 1/2 teaspoon of adjusted compost combined with 1 gallon of water.

Pruning:
Pruning is very important, as these have a tendency to develop and spread very fast. Also, the dry tips of the leaves turn brown, making it unsightly.

Propagate:
Propagating this plant is simple. Simply take a 4- to 6-inch cutting and suspend it upside down in the water. Roots will emerge and you can place the new plant in soil. Separation your houseplant every three years.

Pests and Diseases:
They are not affected much by pests, spider mites are of awesome concern. This can be effortlessly handled by spraying the plant with some insecticide.