What continent is the papyrus plant on. Cyperus: main species, growing conditions, reproduction. cyperus from seed

Papyrus papyrus, or Papyrus (lat. Cyperus papyrus)- a high perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Syt (lat. Cyperus) of the Sedge family (lat. Cyperaceae). Its practically leafless shoots were used by the Egyptians long before our era to make writing material with the same name. Since such production was carried out only in Egypt, the papyrus marsh plant, or rather Papyrus, has become a symbol of Egypt, existing from ancient times to the present day. Although Papyrus later appeared in other countries, it is still associated with Egypt to this day. Today, souvenir sellers in Egypt offer tourists to purchase various handicrafts and papyrus scrolls.

What's in your name

In ancient Egypt, this plant had a different name. The name "Papyrus" was born later. There are several versions of its origin, two of which are based on two different Egyptian (not to be confused with Arabic) words with consonant pronunciation.

One word sounded like "papiur", and meant "Nile" in translation. The second word sounded like "papuro", and belonged to the Copts (the first Christians in Egypt), and meant in translation "what belongs to the king." If we take into account that the Copts appeared later than the Nile, then the first version proposed by the Russian Egyptologist, Boris Alexandrovich Turaev (1868 - 1920), seems closer to the truth.

In addition to the two main names of the plant, there are others. One of them emphasizes the plant's membership in the sedge family and sounds like "Papyrus sedge". Another compares papyrus to the very similar plant Reed, and therefore sounds like "Paper Reed".

Description

Although Papyrus is sometimes referred to as the "Paper Cane", there are far more differences between them than similarities. They are similar in their large size, which baffles people who first learn that both plants are herbaceous representatives of the plant world.

Papyrus, a marshy plant, has a powerful thick rhizome resembling a tree trunk. From the rhizome, from scaly brown sheaths formed by underdeveloped leaves, tall, strong, rapidly growing stems appear on the surface of the earth. The height of the plant varies from 4 to 5 meters, not inferior to Reed in this. The crown of a strong stem is a dense cluster of bright green thin stems, similar at a young age to a pinnate panicle. The cross section of the stem is triangular in shape. The core of the shoots was used by the Egyptians as food, either raw or processed.

Although Papyrus is considered a leafless plant, it does have leaves. These are the same red-brown triangular scales that form brown sheaths for the birth of stems, and young parts of the rhizome are covered with such underdeveloped scaly leaves.

In late summer, greenish-brown inflorescences are born at the ends of the thread-like stems, which then turn into brown, nut-like fruits.

Usage

Papyrus, considered in Egypt as the "gift of the Nile", is a versatile plant.

In addition to the fact that people used the plant as a food product, as well as a medicine, a lot of household items were made from Papyrus: they made sandals, wove rugs and baskets, made thin writing material, and also made durable light boats.

The famous traveler and writer, Thor Heyerdahl, using the experience of ancient navigators, sailed from the shores of Africa to the shores of the American continent on a boat made of papyrus. By his experience, he showed the ability of the ancient Egyptians to travel to America. Maybe that is why so many similar monuments were left to Humanity by the ancient civilizations of two continents far from each other.

Cyperus is a perennial indoor flower belonging to the sedge family. Its homeland is considered to be the tropical territories of Africa, where it grows in swamps, banks of rivers and lakes. In the wild, cyperus grows widely and forms entire thickets. At home, it has been grown since the eighties. Cyperus is loved by many flower growers. He is not whimsical, has good aesthetic data and can decorate the interior of any modern apartment.

The most common types of indoor cyperus flower, plant photo

Not many people know that in the wild there are about six hundred species of cyperus. At home, as a rule, the most common types of this plant are grown.

Proper care at home for a houseplant cyperus

Cyperus is a plant that loves high humidity.

Temperature and humidity

Cyperus perfectly adapts to the conditions of city apartments.

In spring and summer, he will be comfortable in a room with a temperature of about 20-25 degrees.
In the cold season - 16-19 degrees.
In the warm season, you can take the pot outside so that the leaves breathe in the fresh air, and in cold weather, ventilate the room more often.

The flower loves high humidity. If the air in the apartment is dry, it is recommended to purchase an air humidifier, as well as often spray the leaves from a spray bottle in the warm season.

Features of cyperus flower lighting

The flower loves bright light, but can be grown in low light conditions.

The best place for growing cyperus can be spacious window sills facing the west or east.
Although the flower can grow in dark places, you should be aware that its growth and development in such conditions may be suspended.
In winter, the plant especially needs light, so it is recommended to put it more often near a window or create conditions for an additional light source.
In hot summer weather, remove the pot from the window to keep the leaves from burning.
If the flower is located next to south-facing windows, it is recommended to create diffused lighting.

Proper watering home flower cyperus

The soil should be such that the water in the flower would stand until the next watering.

Cyperus loves moisture and abundant watering. This rule should be followed by all flower growers who decide to purchase it. The roots of the plant should always be kept moist. The soil should not be allowed to dry out completely until the next watering. It is best to put the pot in a pot, and fill it with water from above. In this case, the water should only slightly cover the pot. In summer, you can water often and abundantly, and in winter it is reduced. Running water must be defended before watering.

Soil selection

The flower grows well in light fertile soil with low acidity. The soil can be prepared by yourself from garden soil, sand, humus and peat. To hold water, you can add a little charcoal or brick chips. Some flower growers purchase a special hydrogel in specialized stores, which absorbs water well, retains moisture and contains useful fertilizers for plant nutrition and growth. But, synthetic materials still can not be compared with natural components.

How to transplant indoor plants cyperus

Cyperus transplants once a year, and as usual it is done in the spring

A transplant of a young plant can be carried out annually. With proper care, it develops rapidly and requires a larger container. An adult plant is transplanted only as needed.

How to transplant a flower?

The pot must be tilted and carefully remove the plant, holding it with your fingers and the upper part of the soil with your palm.
Transplantation is carried out without complete removal of the earthen coma. After removing from the pot, it is enough to shake off the earth a little from the root system. If the roots are severely damaged (accidentally hurt during transplantation or affected by rot), unusable parts should be carefully removed and well cleaned of the old substrate.
When planting in a new pot, drainage is not laid. This is its difference from many indoor flowers. Drainage does not make it possible to retain moisture for a long time and create “marsh” conditions.
Landing is best done in the spring (March, April).

How to choose a container for homemade cyperus?

Cyperus grow well and develop in breadth, so it is advisable for them to choose a planter whose width would exceed the height. Too spacious containers will not work, as the flower will begin to give a lot of strength to the development of rhizomes.

Reproduction of cyperus at home

Cyperus is easiest to propagate by cuttings.

As a rule, cyperus is propagated by cuttings or dividing the bush. Sometimes seeds are used, but this method is more difficult, takes more time and effort.

To propagate cyperus by cuttings, you need to cut off a leaf rosette from the shoot so that a small part of the trunk remains with it. The leaves are shortened to 4 cm. Put the "umbrella" of the flower in a shallow container (a saucer, for example) and fill it with water so that the container is 1-2 cm full. Within two weeks, young sprouts will appear that can be planted in the ground after 20- 25 days.
Some flower growers are trying to plant cyperus with seeds. To do this, they are sown in bowls in the prepared substrate and covered with a glass jar on top. At a temperature of 18 degrees and abundant frequent watering, the first shoots will soon appear from them. When the seedlings grow up, they are swooped down and transplanted into pots (three seedlings each).
By dividing the rhizomes, it is easiest to reproduce the flower. Usually this is done at the next transplant. The roots quickly grow stronger and take root.

Diseases and pests

This plant has good immunity, therefore it is resistant to pests. But, if the air in the room is too dry, a spider mite may appear. Sometimes the plant can be attacked by whiteflies, scale insects, mealy worms. Problems usually appear due to improper care.

What to do if signs of the disease are noticed?

If you notice the pest in time and take the necessary measures, the flower can be saved. A soapy solution that treats the stem and leaves, as well as spraying with an actellik solution, will help protect against pests.

Note to florist

In cyperus, the tips of the leaves dry.

This may be due to lack of water and humidity. It is recommended to increase the amount of watering, spray the leaves with water, and create favorable conditions in the room with a humidifier.

How to feed?

Complex fertilizers are suitable. Although many feed cyperus throughout the year, it is best to do this during the warm season (summer and spring) every three weeks.

Does the flower have healing properties?

Sometimes it is used in medicine. Cyperus papyrus improves vision and is useful for stimulating the blood circulation of the brain. It can help with insomnia and relieve headaches.

Also watch the video on how to propagate cyperus at home.

The energy of cyperus is like a fountain: it rises up and then rushes down. This type of energy gives rise to cheerfulness, promotes a dynamic change of events, active communication. At the same time, cyperus will protect you from empty talk and idle pastime. It helps to capture information on the fly, update knowledge.

Cyperus means "gift of the river" in Egyptian.. In its natural environment, this marsh grass forms dense thickets 3-5 m high. Mats and baskets are made from the stems, and the rhizomes are eaten. Papyrus was also made from cyperus stems in ancient times.

Sit, or Sitovnik, or Cyperus (lat. Cyperus)- a large genus of perennial herbaceous plants of the sedge family (Cyperaceae).

About 600 species of the sedge family belong to the genus Cyperus, Syt (Cyperus L.). Distributed in swampy places and water bodies in tropical, subtropical and temperate zones.

Representatives of the genus are perennial herbaceous plants with straight herbaceous stems (with close nodes and internodes at the top of the stem). The leaves are linear, sessile, departing from close nodes, forming an umbrella-shaped dense whorl. In culture, only a few species are bred in greenhouses and other premises.

Cyperus - original, relatively shade-tolerant and moisture-loving plants, used to decorate aquariums, decorate slightly shaded places in rooms. Small specimens of all kinds are suitable for miniature artificial lakes on a balcony, loggia or terrace.

Temperature: Moderate in summer, within 18-25°C, in winter about 16-18, not lower than 12°C.

Lighting: A bright place, light partial shade, shading from direct sunlight in summer, good lighting in winter.

Watering: Abundant all the time, the soil should never dry out. It is better to water from a pallet.

Fertilizer: From March to September, every two weeks they are fed with a special complex fertilizer for indoor plants.

Air humidity: Likes very humid air, regular spraying and washing of leaves is required. It is best to place the cyperus on a tray of water.

Transfer: Annually in the spring, however, the pot should not be too spacious. The soil is a mixture of clay-turf (2 parts), leafy (1 part), peat (1 part) and sand (1 part). It would be nice to add a little charcoal and brick chips to the soil.

Reproduction: Seeds, dividing the bush, as well as apical cuttings. To do this, cut the umbrella, after it has faded or before flowering, and lower it into a glass of water “head down”, with the handle to the top. After a while, it will give roots.

Care

Although cyperus is able to tolerate some shading, it prefers bright diffused light, is able to tolerate direct sunlight, shading from direct sun is needed only in summer. It also grows well in artificial light (lighting with fluorescent lamps for at least 16 hours a day).

The plant in spring and summer requires an optimal temperature range of 18-22°C (the plant needs a constant supply of fresh air); in winter - not lower than 12°C.

The basic rule for caring for cyperus is that the roots should always be moist. Therefore, it is better to place a flowerpot or a pot with a plant on a deep tray or in a flower pot with water (it is possible with wet expanded clay), but so that the water slightly covers the pot. In winter, the plants are watered moderately and kept in a cool place. Watering is done with soft settled water.

Leaves should be sprayed regularly and often with settled water at room temperature. In winter, plants should be sprayed less often, but kept away from central heating batteries.

In the spring and summer, cyperus is fed once every 2-3 weeks with complex fertilizers.

To stimulate growth, old yellowing leaves of plants must be cut off.

Variegated forms often lose their variegation and turn green. To eliminate this, it is necessary to cut off all emerging shoots with green leaves.

In the axils of the leaves of the plant, inconspicuous small brown flowers appear throughout almost the entire year, collected in spikelets.

You can transplant cyperus as needed, at any time of the year.. The substrate is slightly acidic (pH 5-6.5), nutritious. The nutrient mixture for cyperus is made up of equal parts of humus and peat bog soil. 1/6 of the swamp silt is added to it. Good drainage is required (at least 1/4 of the height of the pot). The pots need to be tall. If the pot is immersed in water, the ground is covered with a layer of sand on top. Cyperus is a wonderful culture for hydroponics.

reproduction

Cyperus is propagated by seeds, dividing bushes and leaf rosettes, which are planted in wet sand or placed in a jar of water.

Cyperus - papyrus reproduces only by division or seeds, which must be germinated in the light.

Seeds are sown in bowls. The composition of the earth: peat - 1h. or leaf - 1 hour, sand - 0.5 hours. Seeds close up finely; after sowing, the bowls are covered with glass. The main care of crops consists in watering with warm water and maintaining a temperature of at least 18 ° C. Strengthened seedlings dive into 9-centimeter pots, planting 3 seedlings in each pot Composition of the earth: turf - 1 hour, peat - 1 hour, sand - 1/2 hour Plant care: watering plentifully, at first shading from bright rays sun Grown plants are planted in 9-cm pots, 3 copies. Composition of the earth: turf - 2 hours, peat - 1 hour, sand - 1 hour.

Whole leaf rosettes take root better in indoor greenhouses, as well as covered with glass. Rosettes of leaves are cut off with pieces of shoot and planted in the sand, with a bottom heating of at least 20°C, preferably 22-24°C. You can also try this method: tilt the apical rosette of leaves and lower it into a glass of water, without separating it from the plant, fix it. Soon, the rooted plant can be separated and planted in the soil.

Cuttings are made in the spring. Before planting in cuttings, the surface of the leaves is reduced by 2/3. On cuttings, you can cut off the upper part of the shoot, under the lower node of the whorl. The cuttings are placed in a bowl of water. After the appearance of the roots (from the nodes), the cuttings are planted in 7-centimeter pots.

Often propagated by division of rhizomes, usually when transplanting plants. For division take plants over the age of 2 years. Plants grow very fast.

Healing properties

Cyperus papyrus improves brain blood circulation and has a positive effect on people with memory disorders, inattentive, insomniacs, headaches, and improves eyesight. Ts. papyrus is better not to start aggressive people in the house and those who are indecisive, unsure of themselves.

Possible difficulties

With excessive dryness of the air, browning of the tips of the leaves occurs.

Damaged by: mealybug, spider mite, thrips, whitefly.

Kinds

Cyperus papyrus, or Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus).

Abundant in the swamps of Egypt and Ethiopia, found in Tropical Central Africa. Perennial herbaceous plant, up to 3 m tall. The stems are straight, strong, triangular in the upper part, ending in a dense rosette of leaves: the leaves are long, hanging down - photo. Many-flowered (up to 100 flowers) inflorescences on thin pedicels emerge from the axils of the leaves. A highly decorative plant, grown in moderately warm and warm rooms in a humid environment, in pots, but often planted in the ground (provide abundant watering). As you know, the shoots of this papyrus can be used to build boats, as well as to make paper.

Cyperus umbrella (Cyperus alternifolius).

It grows along swampy river banks on the island of Madagascar. Evergreen, perennial herbaceous plants up to 1.7 m tall. The stem is straight, usually rounded, sometimes triangular, ending at the top with a densely leafy umbrella-shaped crown. Leaves linear, narrow, hanging, up to 25 cm long and 0.5-1 cm wide; inflorescences appear from the axils of the leaves - small panicles.
Variegata - leaves with a white stripe.

Spreading cyperus (Cyperus diffusus).

Grows throughout the tropics. Stems few, up to 90 cm tall. The leaves are numerous, mostly basal (at the base of the stems), long, wide, 0.4-1.4 cm wide; in the upper part of the shoot, 6-12 in number, 10-35 cm long and 0.4-1.2 cm wide.

Looking forward to your advice!

The ancestors of this plant were of great importance for people, they carried knowledge. And this is impressive, although among others it does not stand out with anything special. This amazing legendary plant is a swamp papyrus, related to our common sedge.

What does the papyrus plant look like, what are the features of caring for it? What is its history and significance in people's lives? You can learn about all this by reading this article.

general information

This plant greatly influenced the development of the entire civilization. It was used to make writing material. What can a person who hears the word "papyrus" imagine? Egypt - hot sands of the desert, camel caravans, pyramids, sphinxes, pharaohs, hard workers-Egyptians and many others. etc. And among all this is the image of a clerk, writing something under the dictation of his master. All this is Ancient Egypt.

The word papu, meaning "royal", is of ancient Egyptian origin. It was from him that the ancient Greek papyrus was formed, which is the name of the well-known material for writing (papyrus).

The plant is native to Egypt. There it was considered royal.

A bit about ancient writing material

Papyrus (plant) brought great benefits. Pictures and writings made on such material entered the history of Egypt and became exhibits in many museums around the world.

The word "paper" also owes its origin to papyrus. In German, paper is papier, in French it is papier, and in English it is paper. Carl Linnaeus used the Latinized version of this word as the name of this plant - papyros.

The oldest of all known papyri manuscripts date back to the beginning of the third millennium BC.

Papyrus (plant): photo, description

Papyrus is a perennial herbaceous plant (sedge family), mainly found in Africa. There are other names for this plant - paper reed, papyrus sedge.

Mistakenly, sometimes papyrus can be called satisfactorily alternate. This is a common greenhouse or ornamental houseplant.

A dwarf relative of papyrus, reaching a height of one meter, is Cyperus nanus or Cyperus profiler.

Natural papyrus is a huge plant (up to 5 meters high, up to 7 cm in diameter) with practically leafless shoots. Its triangular-shaped stems grow from a thick, woody rhizome, with brown, scaly, underdeveloped leaves at the base of each stem. At the end of the stem is a large inflorescence in the form of an umbrella, which in a young plant has the shape of a feather panicle for brushing dust from furniture.

The bundle at the end of the branch has bright green stems up to 30 centimeters long. Each of them branches into 3-5 rays of the 2nd order, equipped with drooping narrow covering leaves. At their top are green-brown spikes up to 2 centimeters long. Papyrus bloom usually occurs in late summer. Brown fruits are very similar to nuts.

Pollination of papyrus, like most sedges, occurs with the help of the wind, not insects. Ripe fruits spread through the water.

The inflorescences of this amazing plant serve as an excellent nesting place for birds of various species.

Where does the papyrus plant grow in nature?

The geographical distribution of the plant is the most diverse. These are subtropical and tropical deserts, humid forests with annual temperature ranges from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius and a hydrogen content in the range of 6.0-8.5 pH. For successful flowering, good sunlight is a favorable factor. Papyrus, like many tropical plants, is very sensitive to cold.

Large thickets of this plant are mainly found in wetlands, on shallow lakes and along the banks of the rivers of the most humid areas of Africa. Today, papyrus is found less and less frequently in the Nile Delta. In deeper waters, it is the main component of the great masses of floating plants called Sudd.

This plant can be found in the Mediterranean regions (Levant and Sicily), and in Madagascar.

About the papyrus ornamental plant

Cyperus (papyrus) is a houseplant, moisture-loving, similar to both a small palm tree and an umbrella. It, unlike its naturally growing relatives, can feel good even in the shady part of the room, among other house flowers or in interior ponds.

On the grassy stem of the plant there are nodes, from where narrowish leaves grow, forming an umbrella.

Known cyperus grown at home, only a few species. Umbrella grows up to one and a half meters. It has very narrow long linear leaves (length 24 cm). These cyperus are also found with leaves that have a white stripe. Panicles of yellow inflorescences emerge from their axils.

The shortest member of the family is sprawling cyperus with stems up to 90 centimeters high and with many leaves up to 30 cm long. This is the most common species among home gardeners.

Care

Cyperus (papyrus) is a plant that is quite unpretentious in cultivation. At the same time, it still acquires a special decorative effect in a room that is lighter and protected from direct sunlight during the hot season. This plant does not like heat at all. The optimum temperature for it in summer is 20-22˚С, in winter - at least 12˚С.

You need to water the cyperus through the pan, since the roots should always have access to moisture. For him, humidity is also of great importance, so you should spray its leaves more often. Feed the plant with complex fertilizer in summer and spring twice a month.

For the appearance of cyperus, care comes down to removing dried and yellowed leaves. You can repot the plant throughout the year, as it grows, when the roots become very crowded.

The basis of the substrate should be peat land, and the drainage layer should occupy at least a quarter of the pot. In connection with the latter condition, the pot for this plant needs a deep and not very wide. To reduce evaporation from above, the soil should be covered with a small layer of sand.

Conclusion

Papyrus (plant) went down in history mainly as a raw material for the manufacture of fine writing material. Many libraries and museums around the world store the oldest papyri. In Cairo there is a museum in which the exhibit is one of the oldest papyrus scrolls. The British Museum has an artifact from an Egyptian tomb - a papyrus calendar. He is 3000 years old. Thanks to these amazing finds, papyrologists continue to reveal new secrets of the life of the entire ancient world and Ancient Egypt.

As for indoor cyperus, it is known to help people with persistent headaches and insomnia. In addition, this plant should be kept in the house for people who are insecure, indecisive and aggressive. Cyperus will help to normalize the situation.

The genus Cyperus, belonging to the sedge family, has more than 600 species. The island of Madagascar and the tropical part of Africa are considered the birthplace of these plants. Under natural conditions, cyperus grows on the banks of rivers, swamps and lakes in proximity and contact with water, forming entire thickets.

General information

Once in Europe in the 18th century, it rapidly gained popularity due to its unpretentiousness and unique elegant appearance. Cyperus is also known under the names of sat, venus grass and sedge.

Cyperus are perennial evergreen herbaceous plants with erect trihedral reed-like stems. The top of each stem is crowned with an umbrella-shaped whorl, consisting of sessile linear leaves. Depending on the type of plant, the leaves can be light green, dark green, or even two-tone.

These moisture-loving plants are widely used to decorate and decorate fountains, aquariums, artificial waterfalls, water winter gardens. In room culture, cyperus is able to decorate any green area and give it a tropical look.

Since cyperus grows practically in water, it evaporates a lot of moisture, saturating its air, which favorably affects neighboring plants.

Cyperus species and varieties

Despite the huge number of species of cyperus, only a few of them are bred at home and in greenhouses.

cyperus papyrus or Papyrus(Cyperus papyrus L.) is one of the most ancient species. Known for the fact that papyrus was made from it in ancient Egypt, as well as weaving baskets and mats, and even building boats.

This cyperus is distributed wild in the swamps of Ethiopia and Egypt. At home, it is not grown due to its large size - the plant reaches a height of up to 3 meters.

Cultivated in greenhouses. The papyrus stem is erect and strong, ending in a dense whorl of long, hanging leaves. From the axils of the leaves appear many-flowered inflorescences on thin pedicels.

Cyperus umbrella or alternate(C. alternifolius L.) - is the most common in cultural cultivation. This species is distributed along the swampy river banks on the island of Madagascar.

The plant is perennial, herbaceous, up to 1.7 meters tall. The stem of this cyperus is also erect, and at the top it has an umbrella-shaped crown. The leaves are narrow, linear, hanging, having a length of up to 25 cm and a width of 0.5-1 cm. Flowers, collected in small panicles, appear in the axils of the leaves.

There are garden varieties of this cyperus:

Gracilis- distinguished by its compactness and narrower leaves;

Variegatus- has leaves and stems of white color or mottled with white stripes.

Cyperus sprawling(C. diffusus Vahl.) - a plant up to 90 cm high, with numerous basal long and wide leaves. In the upper part, the leaves are narrower, collected in umbrellas of 6-12 pieces.

Cyperus home care

Cyperus refers to plants that are easy to care for at home.

A tropical handsome man is able to tolerate shading, but still he “likes” bright diffused light more. Easily tolerates direct sunlight and needs protection from them only in summer. When choosing the location of the plant, it is better to give preference to the southern or western windows.

Perhaps its content and under artificial lighting. In this case, fluorescent lamps are used, which are turned on for 16 hours a day.

The optimum temperature in summer is 18-20 degrees above zero. In winter, the plant can be kept at a lower temperature, but it should not fall below 10 ° C. Cyperus needs a constant supply of fresh air, so you need to ventilate the room often. In summer, it may be kept on balconies or in gardens.

Cyperus does not have a dormant period, therefore, when caring for a plant, it is fed all year round. In the spring-summer period, the usual complex fertilizer is applied 1 time in 2-3 weeks, and in winter - 1 time per month.

Over time, the stems age, turn yellow and die. Such stems must be cut, after which the plant begins to renew itself. Variegated forms can sometimes lose their variegation and turn green. Such shoots are removed immediately when they appear.

Cyperus watering and air humidity

Cyperus loves moisture. An important condition for its growth and development is the constant moisture of the roots. To ensure it, the pot with the plant is placed in a deep pan or planter with water, so that the water covers the pot a little. Watering is carried out constantly plentiful, making sure that the soil does not dry out. To do this, use soft settled water. In winter, watering is reduced.

It is necessary and constant spraying of the leaves. In winter, it is also carried out less often and the plant is placed away from heating appliances to prevent the leaves from drying out.

Cyperus transplant

Cyperus is transplanted at any time of the year as needed. The substrate is taken nutritious, slightly acidic with a pH of 5-6.5. To prepare the mixture for planting, humus and peat bog soil are taken in equal quantities with the addition of swamp silt to them in the amount of 1/6 of the total mass.

Pots are selected high and ¼ fill them with drainage, and then with prepared soil. If the pots are submerged in water, then the earth is covered with a layer of sand from above.

Cyperus growing from seeds

Seeds are sown finely in bowls, which are filled with a mixture of peat, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1. The bowls are covered with glass or a bag to maintain constant soil moisture. Air daily and water as needed. The temperature is maintained above 18 degrees.

The grown seedlings are planted in 3 copies in small pots in the ground of the same composition as for seeds. Young plants are watered abundantly and protected from direct sunlight. When the plants grow up, they are seated in 9-centimeter pots. The substrate is prepared from turf, peat land and sand, taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1.

Cyperus propagation by cuttings, rosettes and rhizome division

For propagation by cuttings, you should choose the tops with the presence of dormant bud leaves in the rosette. Cut off the outlet along with 5-8 cm of the stem. Planted in sand or light soil, turning it upside down, pressing the middle of the outlet to the ground and sprinkling it a little. In the place of contact with the ground, the stalk will eventually sprout.

Under natural conditions for reproduction, the cyperus leans towards the water, takes root there, the stem of the mother plant dies off and a new plant is formed. At home, you can also propagate cyperus. To do this, tilt the apical outlet and lower it into a container with water, fix it without separating it from the plant. After the formation of roots, they are separated and planted in the ground.

During transplantation, the plant can be propagated by sectioning the rhizome. For this method, cyperus over 2 years old are suitable. Carefully separate the bush with a knife, while trying not to sprinkle with an earthen clod. Each newly formed part should consist of three or more shoots.

Pests and possible difficulties

The browned tips of the leaves are a sign of excessive dryness of the air.
If the leaves lose color and acquire yellowness, the plant must be fed, as these changes indicate a lack of minerals.

Cyperus is quite resistant to pest damage. If the air is too dry, spider mites may appear.

Sophisticated gardeners at some point may have a desire to grow some exotic plant in their apartment. Therefore, they can turn their attention to a flower such as cyperus, which is a sedge family. It is mainly found in tropical regions of Africa, where its favorite habitats are swamps, river banks and lakes.

In the wild, this plant has complete freedom, so it can form large thickets. In our country, flower growers first met this plant in the 80s of the last century. Cyperus is interesting for its unpretentiousness, excellent decorative properties, so it will look great in the interior of any modern apartment.

Home care for the cyperus plant

This flower will be able to please the owner with its flowering only if the most favorable conditions are created for him.

Temperature and humidity

Cyperus has earned the love of many flower growers because of its ability to grow well in city apartments.

in order for the flower to feel good in spring and summer, it needs to provide a temperature of about 20-25 degrees;
in autumn and winter, for normal development, a temperature of 16-19 degrees is enough for him;
when the weather is warm outside, you can often let the flower be in the fresh air. If this is not possible, then you can ventilate the room.

cyperus papyrus is a moisture-loving plant. To maintain optimal humidity in the apartment, you may need a humidifier. An effective procedure is spraying the leaves with a spray gun, which must be carried out regularly in the warm season.

Features of cyperus flower lighting

Although this plant is good grows with maximum light, however, even with its lack, she feels quite well.

Proper watering home flower cyperus

This plant responds positively to moisture, therefore, in the process of caring for it, it is recommended irrigate abundantly. The main rule that should be observed by every novice florist who decides to start growing cyperus in a city apartment is to constantly keep the roots of the flower moist.

If the next watering does not leave a drop of moisture in the ground, then this will negatively affect the plant. It is recommended to keep the flower pot in a flowerpot, while filling it with water from above. But it should be enough so that it only slightly covers the pot. In the summer, when the sun heats up especially strongly, watering is carried out often and plentifully. This is not necessary during the winter season. And it is best to use settled water for irrigation.

Soil selection

In order for cyperus papyrus to grow and develop well, the pot where it will be planted must be fill with light fertile soil with weak acidity. If you decide to prepare the soil yourself, then for this you will need garden soil, sand, humus and peat. It does not hurt to add a small amount of charcoal or brick chips to it - these components will help retain water in the soil.

A modern solution to this problem is a special hydrogel, which is available in many specialized stores. Its uniqueness is associated with the ability to absorb water well, retain it, as well as the presence in the composition of useful fertilizers that plants need during the growing season. Although, nevertheless, the effect of the use of synthetic materials will not be as significant as in the case of natural components.

How to transplant a houseplant cyperus?

The photo of the plant perfectly shows how beautiful its flowering is, but this is possible if its transplantation was carried out in accordance with all the rules.

There are no special restrictions on this operation, so it can be done at least every year. However, in any case, the plant needs provide proper care then it will quickly take root and begin to bloom. For planting, it is necessary to choose a container of a more capacious size. Transplanting an adult cyperus papyrus makes sense only if there is an urgent need for this.

How to transplant a flower?

How to choose a container for homemade cyperus?

In the process of development, the flower begins to increase in width. Because of this, for transplantation, it is necessary to prepare a flower pot, in which the width should be greater than the height. But at the same time, you should not use sufficiently spacious pots, since in this case the cyperus will begin to spend a lot of energy on the formation of the root system.

Reproduction of cyperus at home

The main methods of flower propagation are the preparation of cuttings and the division of the bush. The method of sowing seeds is not used because of its high labor intensity, since more effort and time have to be spent here.

When using the cutting method choose a well-developed shoot, from which you need to cut off a leaf rosette so that a small part of the trunk is present on the harvested part. Be sure to trim the leaves, reducing their length to 4 cm. Next, you need to find a shallow container and place the flower umbrella in it. Then water is poured there, which should fill the container by no more than 1-2 cm. Over the next two weeks, you must constantly monitor the cutting: at this moment, young shoots will begin to form. When this happens, you need to wait for the end of their full formation, and after 20-25 days you can plant planting material in the ground.

Sometimes the method of sowing seeds is used to propagate cyperus papyrus. First you need to prepare the bowls by filling them with the prepared substrate. They carry out sowing of seeds, after which on top of the container install glass jar. In the future, it is necessary to maintain the temperature in the room at 18 degrees and regularly carry out abundant watering. After a while, the first shoots will begin to appear. When the seedlings get stronger, they are picked and transplanted into individual pots. And each should have three seedlings.

However, for beginner flower growers, the most preferred method of propagation of cyperus is the division of the rhizome. This can be done at the moment when the time comes for the next transplant. The method guarantees a high survival rate due to the fact that the roots need a minimum of time to start growing.

Diseases and pests

Cyperus is one of the few crops that shows high resistance to many pests. However, he does not always remain healthy. If the minimum humidity is maintained in the room, then the risk of spider mites. Also, pests such as whiteflies, scale insects, and mealy worms pose a threat to the flower.

However, in most cases, the cause of cyperus diseases is improper plant care.

What to do if signs of the disease are noticed?

It is very important to constantly monitor the condition of the flower and begin to act at the first sign of pest activity. This allows you to increase the chances of saving the plant. An effective pest control agent is a soapy solution that must be applied to the stem and leaves. Also, in the matter of protection against pests, treating the plant with an actellik solution can help.

Conclusion

Despite the fact that the homeland of cyperus are African tropics, you can grow this plant in the conditions of our country. This plant is unpretentious, but it is still necessary to take into account some points related to its cultivation. In addition to preparing the soil mixture, you need to choose a pot of suitable sizes. Along with regular watering, you need to monitor the condition of the flower, since, like most other indoor plants, it can be affected by various pests.

house plant cyperus

Papyrus- This is a perennial, herbaceous shrub that belongs to the sedge family. In the people it is also called "papyrus sedge", "umbrella plant" and "paper reed".

Papyrus, translated from the Egyptian language, means "gift of the river." The mountains of Egypt are believed to be the birthplace of Papyrus. Under natural conditions, it grows in Central Africa. Prefers marshy places. There are more than 500 species of this plant. In ancient times, paper was made from it and the roots were eaten. Grows in tropical and subtropical zones.

Papyrus is a tall plant, up to 5 meters high. Its stems are long, thin and triangular in shape. They are empty in the middle. The leaves are dark green in color, collected in a bunch. They are long, shaggy and look like hair. Papyrus blooms in August. Its fruits look like ordinary nuts. The root system consists of many small roots and loves when they are in the water.

Papyrus - care:

Lighting:

Papyrus grows and develops well in lighted areas, although it does not tolerate direct sunlight. Likes to grow in partial shade.

Temperature:

The plant is not capricious to the temperature regime. If the plant is indoor, then in the summer this plant likes to be taken out into the street. In summer, the ideal temperature for Papyrus is 20-25˚С, and in winter 15-17˚С.

Watering:

This plant is watered very abundantly. The soil of the plant should always be moist. It is recommended to put the pot in a pan with water in the summer season. Reduce watering in winter. On hot days, spray the plant every 3 days.

Humidity:

Top dressing:

Papyrus will bloom well and for a long time only in moist and fertilized soil. When papyrus blooms, fertilize it once a month. Fertilize with special fertilizers, such as Kamira fertilizers. This fertilizer is fed from spring to autumn once every 2 weeks. Fertilize in small quantities. If kept in the cold, then the plant is not fertilized at all.

Transfer:

A houseplant is transplanted every three years. Transplantation is possible only in the spring. When transplanting, plants use nutrient soil, to which a part of leafy, humus and soddy soil is added. It will also be useful for the plant if brick chips, sand and peat are added to the ground.

Reproduction:

This plant propagates by seeds, division of the bush and cuttings. Seeds are sown in a warm and lit place. The easiest way to propagate papyrus is considered to be the following: an umbrella is cut off, the leaves are cut to a length of 2 cm and placed in water with the top down and the stem up.

Some features:

Papyrus is a very hardy plant. When it grows, it needs abundant watering, a lot of diffused light and warmth. On hot days, I recommend aging the plant pot in a pan with water.

Papyrus - diseases and pests:

The biggest enemy of Papyrus grown indoors is the spider mite. The symptom is yellowed and dried leaves. It is recommended to treat with Aktelik or Fufa-non. Papyrus can also infect aphids.

Papyrus - types:

There are types of papyrus that grow well indoors: sprawling, alternate-leaved and white-striped.

cyperus papyrus

The ancient Greeks called the common sedge cyperus. Now the genus Cyperus (Cyperus) from the sedge family (Suregaseae) includes more than 30 species of annual and perennial grasses. Cyperus grows in places with high humidity - mainly along the banks of rivers and lakes. Due to the characteristic rosettes of leaves that crown the long stems of cyperus, in England this plant is called "umbrella plant" - "umbrella plant". Its thin apical stems surprisingly resemble the metal spokes of an umbrella. The cyperus has also earned the nickname "marsh palm" for its fondness for wet habitat, somewhat resembling the outline of a real palm tree with a long bare stem and narrow ribbon-like leaves at the top.

The most famous member of the genus is cyperus papyrus(C. papyrus). Translated from the Egyptian word "papyrus" means "gift of the river." That was the name of the plant, which many centuries ago formed impenetrable thickets on the swampy banks of the great Nile. Later, it was grown in culture near Memphis, Thebes and other cities. It is also known that ancient Egyptian scrolls with writings were called papyrus. Beautiful hymns dedicated to the sun god Ra and edifying tales about the travels of the immortal soul, about the judgment of the gods and the law of justice have come down to us on crispy yellow scrolls through the millennia.

Currently, cyperus papyrus is found only in the upper reaches of the Nile, on Lake Chad and in the Niger and Congo basins. In places where papyrus grows, the banks seem to be a solid dark green wall 6–7 m high. This living barrier is formed by straight trihedral stems as thick as a child’s arm. With high humidity and high temperatures, cyperus grows very quickly, stretching in height under the scorching Egyptian sun and giving up to 60 root offspring. Inside, the stems have a special air system, specific to many marsh and aquatic plants, as well as large intercellular spaces filled with air. Even when green, freshly cut papyrus is very light and does not sink in water. From the very top of such bare tall stems, a thick bunch of long and narrow foliage hangs radially to the sides. Despite its apparent elegance, these green thin ribbons are quite tough and can withstand the winds that bring desert heat to the swaying coastal thickets. Interestingly, if the top of the stem leans strongly towards the water or breaks, very soon whitish root primordia and bright green shoots appear from the dormant buds of the inverted "umbrella", giving rise to a new plant. After the parent stem rots and falls off, the young cyperus takes root and begins to quickly stretch upwards.

At the time of flowering, among the green foliage, one can notice higher inflorescences in the form of loose, complex spikelets of a grayish color, in which small nondescript flowers are covered with scales. Papyrus flowers have a characteristic structure for all sedges, having three stamens and one trifid pistil. The fruits of all cyperus are medium-sized and are similar to monocot grains of cereals.

A very interesting structure is the root system of papyrus, which partially floats in the water, like a strange underwater forest of twisted white stems. Part of the roots and a thick woody rhizome take root on marshy shores, strengthening them and contributing to the retention of silt. The Egyptians have long eaten papyrus rhizomes raw and toasted. They are fragrant and nutritious, and taste like almonds. These rhizomes were also the main food of hippopotamuses, who, together with the disappearance of papyrus in the lower reaches of the Nile, moved upstream.

Using the natural buoyancy of this plant, the Egyptians tied the stems of cyperus with twine and made light double boats out of them, very maneuverable and stable on the water. In them, fishermen and hunters went out to fish, sailing along the Nile and catching fish and poultry. In addition, the builders of the pyramids transported millions of tons of stone blocks on rafts, also woven from this "wild straw". It seems incredible that these fragile little boats could withstand such monstrous loads and trials.

In 1969, the famous Norwegian scientist and traveler Thor Heyerdahl decided to prove with his own eyes the possibility of the penetration of the Egyptian civilization into South America, using a unique vessel made of papyrus as a floating craft. The "paper ship" was made from the papyrus of Lake Tana, located at the source of the Blue Nile. 12 tons (150 cubic meters) of cyperus stems 5–6 m long and 3–4 cm in diameter were delivered to the Cheops pyramid. Three African masters from the shores of Lake Chad and two Egyptians wove a unique wonderful ship from stems, which was ready on April 29, 1969. It was given the name "Ra" - in honor of the supreme god of the Sun. Its length was 17 m, width - 5.2 m. Ahead of the ship with a curved bow and stern there was a sail on a double mast, and there were only two oars near the stern. Water does not penetrate into the middle of the stems due to the dense shell, and their core is light and porous, like a sponge that does not sink in water. Even if there are holes in the bottom, the ship will not sink.

As in ancient times, a whole kilometer of the ship was dragged on a sleigh, and on March 14, seven brave men sailed from the Moroccan port of Safi into the Atlantic Ocean. Favorable currents carried a light ship at a speed of 100 km per day. Usually in this area the ocean is calm, but "Ra" was prepared for severe trials. Only five days of the eight weeks of the journey were quiet, the rest of the time there were torrential rains and huge waves seven meters high flew aboard. The elements broke the oars, sail and mast, and the ship began to gradually list on its side. The crew was forced to transfer to the Shenandou yacht, which came out to meet him. However, Heyerdahl's bold plan could be called implemented. The "paper ship" traveled 2,700 miles, fighting the waves, and proved that Egyptian navigators could cross the Atlantic Ocean 5,000 years ago.

In 1970, a restless Norwegian decided to repeat his journey on a papyrus ship called "Ra-2", which was custom-made by the inhabitants of a small town in Morocco. This time, the ship was not bound from sheaves of papyrus, but from its individual stems, which were carefully intertwined in the form of two cigar-like floats. For 57 days of sailing, the crew of the Ra-2, which was light on the move and obeyed even one oar, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, reaching the shores of America. And the legendary cyperus papyrus once again proved its incredible floating properties.

With flexible long stems of young plants, the ancient Egyptians caulked large ships, they also wove mats and baskets. Sandals were made from the thin green bark of large cyperus, and fabrics were made from fiber, which were valued more than linen. But the main thing is that paper, known as papyrus, was made from this wonderful plant. The core was removed from the cut stems, divided into thin long strips. The raw materials prepared in this way were laid out in close rows on a smooth board and moistened with water. The second row was laid on the first row, but already across, and then scraped, smoothed, laid under a press and dried in the hot sun. Others were glued to the resulting strip. And in order to keep the ink better, the papyrus was dipped into a special paste and dried again. As a result of such painstaking and lengthy work, a dense, slightly yellowish papyrus was obtained, which saved the thoughts and feelings of people who lived many centuries ago in secret writings.

That is why the synonymous Latin name of this plant was "Papyrus antyquorum" - "ancient papyrus". In Russian literature, the genus cyperus is sometimes called "sitovnik", and cyperus papyrus is called "real papyrus".

Many species of the genus Cyperus can be grown as houseplants, reaching a meter height. The main components of success are bright light and high humidity. Indoor papyrus will do well if a voluminous pot with expanded clay drainage is constantly kept on a shallow tray filled with lukewarm water, so that the compost will always be moist. Cyperus can also be grown in a palludarium or aquarium as aquatic plants, but should be transplanted into peat pots for the winter. When the soil dries out, the "umbrellas" quickly turn yellow. Cyperus can be propagated by dividing the rhizome during transplantation, vegetatively by lowering the cut "umbrella" into the water, as well as by seeds.