PLANT PROFILE - Umbrella palm Cyperus alternifolius

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

above the water surface. Luckily, the pond itself is 3.5m x 8m so the palm suits its corner position well. The plant grows clumps of tall stems crowned with long, slender, dark green bracts that look like the framework on an umbrella, hence the name. Small, brown, fuzzy flowers often develop from the top of the stem. If you are not careful, larger palms can become invasive. A small, single, stalk with roots will grow as a marginal plant and become difficult to remove if left alone too long. The roots will grow deeply into a gravel-based pond. This can be avoided by planting the palm in a plastic tub. Its roots will need trimming

from time to time, but the plant will be easy to maintain. Umbrella palms are easy to trim as you just cut the roots into smaller sizes. This does not destroy the original plant and it will grow again to fill the container. Use a small handsaw to cut through the root ball to halve the plant before repotting in a short, wide container, using rocks to hold the plant in place. Dirt or fertiliser are not required as umbrella palms get their nutrients directly from the pond water, which helps with filtration. As these plants are tall, they can get blown over by wind so the rocks help keep them upright. I found my palm blew over consistently for several years before becoming heavy enough, even with rocks added, as my container was too tall and narrow. Now it is so big it is no longer in any container, just sitting on the pond’s concrete base.

References: www.aquascapeinc.com The Aquarium Plant Handbook (Oriental Aquarium (S) Pte Ltd

Caryl Simpson

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