umbrella plant
Cyperus alternifolius
USDA zones9 to 12
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size3 to 6 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Green to reddish brown
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Notes
Umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius) is a grass for containers and low maintenance gardens. It grows outdoors year-round in USDA zone 9 and warmer, down to about 20°F (-7°C). In colder areas, grow it as a houseplant or bring it indoors for winter. This plant likes full or part sun and average to wet soil of most types. It stays evergreen and grows 36 to 72 inches tall, with green to reddish brown blooms.
Pairs well with Horsetail, Meadowsweet, and Purple loosestrife.
Native range
Eastern Africa and Arabian Peninsula.