Cyperus papyrus, also called Egyptian water reed, bulrush, or simply 'papyrus,' is a variable aquatic ornamental with upright stems and unique, showy flower heads. In its native range throughout the Mediterranean and Africa, papyrus can grow to towering sizes of ten to fifteen feet tall; as an ornamental offering in North America, plants will usually grow to around 5-10' tall with a spread of 2-5' in large clumps. Although papyrus is most common for ornamental uses today, Cyperus papyrus has a unique history among the edible uses of multiple plant parts, the use of its roots for woodcarving, and the use of its stems in tissues in the creation of paper by Ancient Egyptians. Noted for its ornamental value, with fringey flower heads starting in early spring and persisting through the fall, papyrus can also be used to great effect erosion prevention and stormwater mitigation; though these fringey culms are present for most of the year, papyrus typically only flowers in mid to late summer, with small, yellow-brown flowers forming on the individual fringes or rays of the upper heads. Since Cyperus papyrus is native to swamps and boggy areas across wet areas in Africa, papyrus is capable of withstanding flood and perpetually wet soil, but is not tolerant of cold temperatures, and should be moved indoors when temperatures start heading toward 40° F. Beyond liking things on the wetter side, papyrus requires only full sun to partial shade to thrive, and they actually prefer standing water, making them idea for specimen plants in ornamental ponds, large fountains, or rain gardens.
