PLANT PROFILE
Umbrella palm article & photos by Caryl Simpson The umbrella palm (Cyperus alternifolius) is a tropical plant that can grow to almost 2 metres in height. It is also known as umbrella papyrus or umbrella sedge. A grass-like plant, in the very large genus Cyperus of the sedge family Cyperaceae, it is a native of Madagascar. Although tropical, I have had mine growing in my pond for over 10 years with temperatures dropping lower than -4°C for short periods of time. In the early days, before the surrounding shrubbery grew, it survived being encased in 2cm thick ice during the coldest winter temperatures, with no ill effects. There are dwarf (Cyperus alternifolius
‘Gracilis’) and medium (Cyperus spp.) varieties available for smaller ponds and container water gardens. The height, and interesting leaves, of an umbrella palm makes it an interesting addition to the pond and a nice backdrop for shorter aquatic plants like water lilies. Mine must be the standard variety as it is now 1.6m
