Variegated umbrella Sedge ( Cyperus alternifolius ‘Variegatus’). alternifolius ‘Gracilis’): What you usually see in homes is this dwarfer, more delicate-looking variety, usually around 18 to 36 inches (45 to 90 cm) tall with fewer and narrower bracts. It’s just a bit too big to place on most windowsill sills!ĭwarf Umbrella Sedge ( C. alternifolius) is actually rarely grown indoors, although it’s frequent outdoors in tropical climates. The genus name Cyperus comes from the Ancient Greek “kúpeiros” for sedge, while alternifolius is Latin for “with alternate leaves.” The genus contains over 700 species and is found all over the world except Antarctica, as some are tropical climates and others adapted to temperate climates. It doesn’t escape from culture in more temperate climates, though, as it is not frost hardy. It has since naturalized in many tropical countries all over the world. This semi-aquatic plant originally grew wild throughout much of tropical Africa, Madagascar and the Arabian Peninsula in fresh-water wetlands, along rivers, in ditches, etc. The umbrella sedge divides abundantly at the base, so the original small clump can grow to entirely fill its pot. They eventually release seeds that can sprout in nearby pots. The flowers are not unattractive, nor are they stunning, but do add interest to the plant. Short stems of cluster yellow-green flowers eventually turning brown appear from among the bracts during the summer months. This foliage plant grows as a clump of upright cylindrical green stems up 4 to 6 feet (1.2 to 2 m) tall, each topped with the aforementioned whorl of 10 to 25 flat leaflike somewhat drooping bracts. Umbrella papyrus: it is certainly a very close relative of the papyrus plant ( Cyperus papyrus), described below, and it would be easy to make an argument for that name, but… I prefer umbrella sedge and since I’m writing this article, that’s the name I’ll use here.įast-growing, umbrella sedge (this is the cultivar ‘Gracilis’) can turn into something like an indoor tree quite rapidly.Umbrella sedge: my favorite name, as it is indeed a sedge, being a member of the Cyperaceae (sedge family).Umbrella plant: that would be appropriate, but the name is already taken, what with the more popular Schefflera also going under that name, so….Umbrella grass: it is indeed very grasslike, but it’s not a member of the grass family (Poaceae) either, so….Umbrella palm: probably the most common name, but it’s not a palm nor in any way related to a palm (Arecaceae), so…. All include the word “umbrella,” due to its linear green grasslike leaves borne in a whorl at the tip of the thin green stem, like the spokes of an umbrella. involucratus, it’s former name, still used. This popular houseplant suffers from a bit of brand confusion: I mean, the botanical name isn’t a problem: Cyperus alternifolius is generally accepted, although one does hear C.
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