Papyrus

So on the weekend, at the garden centre, on a whim .....
(I wonder how many threads start like this )

Bought myself a Papyrus for my mini pond
I know that I will have to give it some sort of protection in winter.
It's at a depth of about 30cm. Is that ok?

I tried raising it up on a brick, but because the plant itself is tall, it kept falling over. So having it a bit deeper on the base of the barrel, seems to give it a bit more stability.

 

Cyperus papyrus? I think it is a struggle to keep alive over winter, so I grow it from seed in spring. Easy to germinate.

Cyperus alternifolius too, although I don't think it looks as impressive.

 

Kristen,

That's it.
I was planning on cutting down the top growth (in October), and keeping the rhizome indoors.
And then into the greenhouse in spring to restart it. And then finally back into the pond.

 

I grow that as (IMO) it looks better
Very easily kept going over the winter - cut a few tops off with about 15cm of stem, place upside down in a jar of water and pot up when the roots are growing well. Here's some I did about three weeks ago..................




Over the winter stand the pot in a dish of water in the bathroom and sink in the pond late April.

 

Babies ... yes I expect that works (probably better than seed, thanks for the tip!) but that's not the same IMHO as keeping a Proper Clump going over the winter and having the benefit of that following year

I have managed to keep 1st year plants going over winter, but never a 2nd year clump.

Shorter though, isn't it? Perhaps I should grow both for comparison (as if I needed an excuse )

 

To be fair, I haven't got a lake to fill! And the bathroom ain't so big either!!!

Classier though without that Sideshow Bob tuft on top

 

That's the bit I like!

 

longk,
What depth do you grow it at?

 

Cyperus? I plant mine as normal, and it tillers to make a clump. I put one in a pot in water once and it didn't do very well, not actually grown it as a pond marginal (it seems to do surprisingly well, for a bog plant, in a regular border, watered no more frequently than my other plants)

 

Varies between the top of the pot being 5cm under water to being 3cm out of water. It's far, far better grown in water, the stems are thicker, stronger and taller.

 

for years I`ve tryed to overwinter papyrus with no luck at all , then I moved home and one morning while I was going to work for the first day I`ve noticed a massive clum of papyrus outside a block of flats , close the wall , protect by the extreme cold and winter rain , couldn`t belive my eyes , the second day I stoped my car and cut few leaves .



3 weeks later



what I`ve noticed about this papyrus that it`s actually darker and tough then the one I got , on the other side I`ve start to noticed neighbours garden and spotted more papyrus growing outdoor and many other plants that I couldn`t even dare thinking of them outside .

now I wonder if that can be try with other variety as I`ve been looking around for more hardy papyrus

this one is another variety that should stand cold

baby tooth papyrus



also this one should stand some cold or at least I will try

 

I have a good clump in the pond. It seems significantly stronger for being grown submerged and stands a good 1.5 metres tall..................


It will have to take its chances there for the winter. I have a couple of back ups - one in soil and one that is just in water . I'll keep them in the bathroom over the winter just in case.

 

Longk , that`s the think we are doing all wrong , we all know that the papyrus need water to grow .... dry dry that`s the key , why don`t you plant in a dry protect part of the garden untill spring? close to the house if it`s possible

 

Because the one in the ground was weedy compared to this. Binned it a few weeks ago as it was seriously inferior! This is fairly close to the house, close to a south west facing wall.

 

the water will rott the rots and the plant will die , I would love myself to grow a papyrus in the water of my pond , but we live in UK and that`s only possible in summer . what I`m saying is give the plant a chance and sink the pot in the soil in a protect part of the garden near the wall of your house .... spring will come and the pot can go back in the pont