In the Nile Delta, Cyperus papyrus was widely cultivated in ancient times. Its name has an uncertain origin, but was rendered in Hellenistic Greek as πάπυρος. ) for many purposes, including for making papyrus paper. papyrus, which came very close to extinction, but was rediscovered in 1968. Papyrus in history Įgyptians used the plant (which they called aaru, or the subspecies C. Technically, these are reduced leaves, so strictly it is not quite correct to call this plant fully "leafless". Īlthough no leaves are apparent above the soil line, the younger parts of the rhizome are covered by red-brown, papery, triangular scales, which also cover the base of the culms. Greenish-brown flower clusters eventually appear at the ends of the rays, giving way to brown, nut-like fruits. Each stem is topped by a dense cluster of thin, bright green, thread-like rays around 10 to 30 cm (4 to 10 in) in length, resembling a feather duster when the plant is young. It forms a grass-like clump of triangular green stems that rise up from thick, woody rhizomes. At Lake Naivasha, the culms, triangular in cross-section, were as much as 7 inches (18 cm) on a side in width. Each culm is a single internode the longest known of any plant. each of the up to one thousand rays of the umbel terminates in a spike of small flowers) for a total height of 31 feet (9.4 m). This tall, robust aquatic plant can grow 4 to 5 m (13 to 16 ft) high, but on the margins of high altitude lakes such as Lake Naivasha in Kenya and Lake Tana in Ethiopia, at altitudes around 6,000 feet (1,800 m) the papyrus culms can measure up to 29.5 feet (9.0 m) in length, with an additional 18 inches (46 cm) for the inflorescence (a spicate umbel i.e. We will incorporate comments we receive from others, and welcome to hear from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.Papyrus plant ( Cyperus papyrus) at Kew Gardens, London We also note those observations we have made of this plant as it grows in the nursery's garden and in other gardens, as well how crops have performed in our nursery field. Information displayed on this page about Cyperus papyrus 'Dwarf Form' is based on the research conducted about it in our library and from reliable online resources. Another name for this plant is Cyperus papyrus 'Nanus' and under this name this plant received the prestigious Royal Horticulture Award of Garden Merit in 2002. We originally grew this plant starting in 2006 with a famous young Egyptian king's name as its cultivar name but this name became trademarked and we reverted back to using the current moniker of 'Dwarf Form'. We also grow the full size species, Cyperus papyrus. Our thanks to Randy McDonald of McDonald Water Gardens in Reseda, CA for our original stock on this plant. We are now using the cultivar name 'Dwarf Form' to describe this plant to avoid confusion with another taller plant being marketed under the name we previously used. The late Greg Speichert, aquatic plant specialist and author (with wife Sue) of the "Encyclopedia of Water Garden Plants" (Timber Press, 2004) provided us with the background material on this plant, as published in the International Society of Horticultural Science and suggested we change the name. This plant has been marketed in the US since 2004 under the invalid name Cyperus papyrus percamentus. It was also found to be considerably more shade tolerant than the full-sized plants that it was beind being compared to. In the course of this research a dwarf form of papyrus was isolated and it was determined that it was not only dwarf but grew with thicker stems and with more flower peduncles (the tassels at the top of a Cyperus stem) that were more compact than those on the full-sized papyrus. This plant was discovered in 1993 during a Cyperus propagation research project at Kagawa University in Japan. Its compact habit and shade tolerance make it well-suited to a smaller water garden but also make it a great addition to the large pond. Plant it up to 12 inches deep in water or in rich moist soil in full sun to medium shade (more shade tolerant than regular papyrus). This plant is a vigorous grower in or out of water. Synonyms: Ĭyperus papyrus 'Tutankhamun' (Little Giant Papyrus) - This is a diminutive form of Egyptian papyrus, growing to only 2 to 3 feet tall. This is an archive page preserved for informational use. Note: This plant is not currently for sale. Cyperus papyrus 'Dwarf Form' at San Marcos GrowersĬyperus papyrus 'Dwarf Form' - Little Giant Papyrus
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