Cyperus papyrus

Hi All

I am after the 6ft variety not the pond one that only grows to 3 feet , just need the flower head part to root in water , lots to swap .

Spruce

 

Ooh yes, that would be a cracking plant. I used to have the 3' one, and even that was quite nice.

 

Cyperus papyrus the 6' one and Cyperus alternifolius the 3' one I think ??

Both available, as seed, from Jungle Seeds if that would do you?

I do have plants of Cyperus papyrus, overwintering in the conservatory, but they don't look very happy - they've probably not had enough water during the winter. We'll see, come the Spring, if they have survived. I'll be sowing some seed anyway

 

Are they easy from seed? If so, I'll be adding them to my list. Very, very tropical so no point in starting before May, IMO.

 

Supposed to be easy from seed. First time for me.

They need to do quite a lot of growing in the season to make a decent sized plant, so I think you need to start earlier and mollycoddle them.

That's probably why people grow the smaller one, as its more likely to do its stuff within a single season.

 

Ah well, in a draughty non-double-glazed house I have trouble mollycoddling anything, even myself!

 

Hi Guys

Jungle seeds have free P&P ends midnight 31 Jan , I better get moving ...

thanks

Spruce

 

I have grown them. They are easy from seed, but more difficult to overwinter. My first try died inside the house in the first winter. My second try got through the first winter and got to be a reasonable sized plant, then died in the second winter.

I am sure they are easy when you know the trick - but I obviously don't.

 

That's looking like exactly what mine are trying to do :(

I read to grow them in lattice (pond) pots, and stand them in a tray of water during the Winter. Haven't tried that though ...

 

Wouldn't they have to be in a pot of damp soil inside the house to keep the temperature high enough in the winter? Or does that still not work?

 

They were in my frost-free conservatory last winter, and seemed happy there - some loss of tops, but generally kept enough to keep going and then got under way in the Spring.

This, second, winter they look very unhappy and I will be surprised if they do get going again.

 

Strange, you'd have thought they'd be more resilient in their second year.

 

I have been reading very conflicting comments on the internet. Some say that during the winter Papyrus dries out when the Nile is not in flood and goes dormant. And one site said let it dry out naturally and overwinter in a cold, dark, but frost free place.

Others say it needs a lot of light and should stand in a saucer of water, but not deep water like in the summer.

I kept mine on the dry side, and they survived one winter, but I suspect it was too dry the following year. It was inside the house - but kept pretty cool.