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GRACEFUL GRASSES® PRINCE TUT™ CYPERUS

Do you recognize the word “papyrus”? History lessons teach how the stems of Cyperus papyrus were used to make a paper-like material for writing scrolls in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago. Fast forward to today where this unique aquatic plant has been adapted as a modern ornamental for container combinations and landscapes. What a versatile plant!

 

 
Contributors: Susan Martin

 

 

GROW SOME GARDEN ROIYALTY

  • A modern version of an ancient classic papyrus
  • Huge plumes on sturdy, short 18-30” stalks
  • Blooms from planting time until frost
  • Fun accent plant for containers and landscapes
  • Grows in shallow water and at the pond’s edge
  • Long-lasting in fresh bouquets
  • Grows and blooms well in 4+ hours of sun
  • Pronounced “CY-pruss” or “cy-PEER-us”

Though it retains a strong preference for moist soil and continues to thrive in water gardens, Egyptian papyrus is now adapted to grow well in large containers where it makes a whimsical thriller. Huge umbrella-shaped tassels dance to the slightest breeze, imbuing vitality into your garden design. Clipped for fresh bouquets, the plumes last up to two weeks.

Graceful Grasses Prince Tut papyrus is a mid-sized selection with sturdy stems rising up to 30” tall from large, woody rhizomes. Give it plenty of root space and keep the moisture coming to see fresh plumes rise up all season.

Prefer something taller? Try our six foot tall King Tut® papyrus. Shorter? Baby Tut® tops out at two feet.

 

 

  USES          


WATER GARDENS


UPRIGHT CONTAINERS


GARDEN BEDS

  PLANTING  

PLANTING YOUR GARDEN BED 

It’s not too common to see Prince Tut papyrus growing in the landscape, but that makes it all the more fun to encounter on a stroll through the garden. Its airy texture contrasts beautifully with plants that have broad, flat leaves or a low, mounded habit. Prince Tut’s huge umbrella-shaped tassels dance to the slightest breeze, imbuing vitality into your garden design.

This plant could be used as a focal point underplanted with shorter plants like Infinity® New Guinea impatiens in part shade or could be planted en masse under the tall canopy of Heart of the Jungle® Colocasia in full sun. Prince Tut’s mid-sized 18 to 30” height makes it easy to pair with both short and tall plants in the landscape.

  • Select a location that receives a minimum of four hours of sun per day. All-day sun works too as long as enough moisture is provided.
  • This is one plant that won’t mind your poorly drained clay soil. It will easily soak up all of the excess moisture and nutrients there. If your soil is very sandy, boost the fertility and water-holding capacity of the soil by incorporating compost and/or peat or choose to grow it in a container instead.
  • Give this plant plenty of room for its large, woody rhizomes to spread. One of the primary advantages to growing Prince Tut in the ground is that root space is less limited, and the roots will naturally be able to seek out moisture in the soil.
  • Mix a bit of continuous release plant food into the bottom of the hole before you add the plant. This will ensure a small amount of nutrients is available throughout the growing season.
  • Water your newly planted Prince Tut immediately to help the soil settle in around the plants’ roots.
 

PLANTING YOUR IN A WATER GARDEN 

Let’s Go For a Swim!

That’s right, your favorite thriller plant for your patio planters is also a water plant! In fact, historically, papyrus was customarily considered aquatic rather than terrestrial until modern times when newer cultivars were well-adapted to both conditions. Now, it is used to add height, movement and flair to pond plantings, rain gardens, landscapes and the water’s edge. 

If you have a sunny pond or water feature, try adding Prince Tut papyrus as a whimsical focal point

 

  CARE  


SUNLIGHT
 
  • The size and robustness of your Prince Tut papyrus will depend in part on how much sunlight it receives. It grows the biggest when it has six or more hours of sun per day and consistent moisture. However, the plants will also grow and bloom well in part sun. They will just be a bit smaller.
  • This grass is amazingly tolerant of a range of sun conditions. It won’t burn from the sun’s intense reflection off of the water if you grow it in a pond. It will also continue to bloom if it receives just a few hours of sun plus open shade for the remainder of the day.

WATER
 
  • Cyperus papyrus is traditionally considered to be an aquatic plant, meaning it grows well in shallow water and at the water’s edge. Today’s modern varieties like Prince Tut papyrus are well-adapted to use as a modern ornamental for landscapes. It retains a strong preference for moist soil which is easier to provide when you grow the plant in heavier garden soils.
  • Water Prince Tut regularly and don’t let the soil dry out to the point your plants start to wilt, as this will cause its plumes to turn brown. If this happens, trim away the damaged bits to make room for new plumes to form.
  • Prince Tut papyrus should be planted in an 8 to 12” diameter nursery pot with holes in the bottom to let the water in.
  • If you will be growing it in a windy location, pack the bottom of the container with rocks to add weight to keep it from blowing over.
  • Fill the container with fertile garden soil and mix a bit of Proven Winners continuous release plant food in, then plant Prince Tut in it
  • Alternatively, this plant can be sunk directly into boggy or muddy soil at the pond’s edge.
  • Water your newly planted Prince Tut immediately to help the soil settle in around the plants’ roots.
 
 

PLANT FOOD

  • Prince Tut papyrus needs far less plant food than hungry annuals like petunias, so it is ideal to pair it with other foliage plants like ColorBlaze® coleus, Sweet Caroline sweet potato vines or Plum Dandy™ alternanthera which also do not need to be fed often. It won’t hurt the plant if it gets fed a little more often than necessary, but generally ornamental grasslike plants do not require much fertilizer.
  • At time of planting, mix some Proven Winners continuous release plant food into the bottom of the hole. Follow package directions for rates. This will provide a small amount of nutrients to the plant through the season. If you are growing Prince Tut in a warm climate year-round, scratch another scoop of continuous release plant food into the soil halfway through the season.
 

TRIMMING

  • Prince Tut is an evergreen grass that produces new flower plumes all season long. Once they are spent, the individual plumes turn light brown and should be trimmed away to make room for new ones to form. It is normal to see some browning of the oldest plumes; that is not a sign of decline. However, if your whole plant begins to turn brown, it is likely not receiving adequate moisture for the conditions.
  • In tropical zones 10-11 where this plant is hardy, it will remain green year-round. If it grows too large for your space and needs to be divided, do so only in the spring since fall division can greatly impact its ability to live through the winter. Lift the entire pot out of the water and remove the plant. You will need a saw to cut away the oldest, woodiest parts of the roots. Discard those and replant the fresher pieces back into your container, then re-submerge it in the water.
  • This plant is not hardy enough to survive winters with freezing temperatures and it is not a candidate to overwinter inside because it is evergreen. However, it is a very fast grower and will quickly reach its impressive size again when planted fresh in the spring.
  • When growing papyrus in water, it’s important to remove the spent foliage to prevent too much organic matter from building up in the pond. Be sure the plant is positioned where it is accessible for trimming.
 

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