Cyperus - home care and reproduction

Cyperus is a flower that has many names, for example, it is called sat, papyrus, sitovnik, marsh palm, venus grass. Due to its original appearance, this plant is often grown in office premises, adorns shopping centers, schools and kindergartens. This is no coincidence, the plant remarkably cleanses and moisturizes the air. For its external attractiveness and useful properties, home lovers of flowers also fell in love with it. It is a real decoration for verandas and balconies, moreover, it is safe for children and pets.

What does cyperus look like, or a swamp palm tree

Tsiperus belongs to the Sedge family. In the wild, it can grow up to 5 m in height, has a dense spreading crown and forms impenetrable thickets near the shores of lakes, rivers and swamps. When growing a plant at home, you should not expect such results. It grows up to 1 m, but at the same time it looks very impressive.

Cyperus in the home interior

The main characteristics of the plant:

a long, creeping root located on the surface of the soil. Depending on the type of plant, the type of root may vary slightly, this must be taken into account when choosing a soil;
long stems of bright green color, aging and dying off over time. They are quickly replaced by the young;
rosettes of whorled thin leaves are located on the tops of the stems;
leaves vary in length, they are thin, pointed towards the ends;
the top resembles an umbrella;
leaf color can vary from dark green to light green. Some species have leaves of different colors, sometimes even with spots of white or brown;
flowers are small, inconspicuous, arranged in a rosette or one at a time.

For your information! Tsiperus attracts not only people, but also pets. They love to feast on its juicy stems. For them, there is no threat, but the plant can die from such attention.

Common varieties

The Cyperus genus consists of 600 plant species that grow all over the world. However, indoor florists grow only a few of them. The most popular varieties of the indoor cyperus flower are Papyrus, Helmera, Zumula and Cyperus perennial.

Cyperus Papyrus

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Cyperus Papyrus is one of the oldest species of this plant. It got its name due to the fact that in Ancient Egypt papyrus, parchment were made from it, baskets, rugs were woven, and boats were even made. It is more often found in the wild (in Ethiopia and Egypt).

As an indoor flower, this species of cyperus can be found extremely rarely, since it can reach enormous sizes (up to 3 m in height). Its cultivation is most often done in greenhouses.

The variety is distinguished by a strong, erect stem, at the top of which there is a whorl of long, hanging leaves. Thin inflorescences appear at the base of the leaves. The flowers are unremarkable.

Note! Growing a house requires a lot of space and a large tub. Otherwise, this cyperus, home care for it does not differ from other plants of this family.

Cyperus Helfer

The main difference between Cyperus Helfer is that it grows in water (in comparison with its counterparts). It grows no more than half a meter. This cyperus is grown in a pond or aquariums. Prefers slightly acidic soil with a pH of about 5-6.

Helfer variety

Cyperus Zumula

The cyperus Zulmur variety is almost identical in appearance to Helfer, but it grows in a pot. For him, constantly moist soil with low acidity is important. Grows well from seeds. Due to its fluffiness, it looks very impressive.

Important! This variety is not safe for pets and children, so it is worth placing it on high shelves inaccessible to them.

Cyperus alternate-leaved

This type is the most popular among florists. In nature, its main habitat is Madagascar. Ciperus Zumula, grown at home, has the following characteristics:

perennial. With proper care and timely pruning of old stems, it can serve the owner almost indefinitely;
reaches a height of 1.5 m;
erect stem with umbrella-shaped crown;
leaves are narrow and thin. Their length reaches 25 cm;
flowers are small in the form of panicles, appear at the base of the leaves.

Cyperus alternate-leaved (umbrella)

Note! There are also garden hybrids of this variety: Gracilis (small with narrow leaves) and variegated (with white leaves or stems or with white stripes).

Briefly about the history of appearance

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It is believed that the homeland of Cyperus is Madagascar and the African tropics. Other indoor plants also come from there: cissus, cyclamen. For its love for rivers and other sources of water, as well as overly moist soil in Egypt, the cyperus plant is called a "river gift". It grows in other countries, for example, in the United States along the banks of water bodies, where it forms real thickets, through which it is impossible to get through. It appeared in European countries and Russia in the 18th century. Tsiperus became a houseplant only at the end of the twentieth century. Venus herb quickly gained incredible popularity due to its sophisticated appearance and absolute unpretentiousness.

For your information! In Russia, there are also natural cousins of the cyperus: reeds, sedges, and sitnyags.

Sitovnik in natural conditions

How to care for Cyperus at home

Growing this plant and caring for cyperus is not particularly difficult. One has only to get acquainted with some basic rules that even a beginner can follow.

Temperature

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In summer, a standard room temperature of about 20-25 ° C is quite suitable for the plant. If it gets hot in the room or on the balcony, then it just needs to be sprayed more often (avoiding sunburn). It is great if there is an opportunity to put the flower pot in fresh air so that it is regularly ventilated. It will be helpful for him. In winter, it is better not to lower the temperature below 15 ° C. It is also important to avoid drafts and remove it from the windowsill during the ventilation period.

Lighting

Too sunny places for a flower should be avoided. Better if it is shade / partial shade. It is ideal to place it next to an aquarium or other home pond. However, it should not be grown in complete darkness. If you keep it on the windowsill, then a great option is the east or west side. In summer, it is better to increase daylight hours for cyperus, so that it gives new shoots and strengthens its growth. In winter, you can extend the daylight hours using a special lamp.

Watering

Since in nature cyperus grows in swampy, very humid places, it is obvious that at home, it requires a lot of moisture. If it is not enough, the leaves and stems immediately turn yellow, dry out, and the plant may die.There is no need to be afraid of root decay, you just need to remember that its soil must be constantly moist. Watering should be done daily. You can even pour water into the sump, but it must be very deep. In winter, you can water less often, but still regularly monitor the soil moisture.

Note! If the room temperature is too low, the roots can still rot. To avoid this, you just need to regularly drain the water from the sump.

Spraying

Spraying in summer is carried out regularly with water at room temperature. Do not do this during the day, when the bright sun is shining, otherwise the plant may get burned. In winter, you need to spray the plant much less often, once a week is enough.

Humidity

High air humidity is ideal for cyperus. It will feel comfortable even at 75% humidity. But not all indoor plants can live normally in such conditions, therefore, you should be especially careful when choosing flowers that will stand nearby. This level of humidity is easy to provide with a conventional household humidifier or spray bottle.

You can also give your flower a warm shower on a regular basis. This procedure is very to his taste. Do not place it near batteries as they dry out the air.

Priming

The flower is not too demanding on the composition and nutritional properties of the soil. You can make it yourself from a mixture of peat, turf, humus and sand (1: 1: 1: 1). It is good if there is an opportunity to add dry marsh grass and river silt to it. This will ensure air permeability and avoid stagnation of excess moisture. On top of this raw material, you can put a layer of river sand or expanded clay. Store soil is also suitable for moisture-loving plants with low acidity.

Top dressing

The growing season of Cyperus lasts from early spring to early autumn. At this time, the plant is especially responsive to feeding. Store-bought fertilizers are best suited for non-flowering plants. Top dressing should be done 2-3 times a month. If the growth period does not stop in winter, then the plant continues to be fed, but less often than once a month. If the plant has entered a dormant period (which is rare), then it does not need feeding.

Important! For young plants, it is necessary to halve the doses indicated on the manufacturers' packaging.

When and how it blooms

Marsh palm is a flowering plant that blooms regularly. But the flowers are inconspicuous, they do not give much beauty, the plant is grown not because of them, but because of the decorativeness of the spreading leaves. Flower shades: pale green, brownish, beige.

Blooming cyperus

Types of flowers

The flowers of the plant are inconspicuous, can be solitary, or most often form inflorescences of a rosette. They do not give a particular decorative effect to the plant. The flowers are bisexual, pollinated by the wind, so they do not have a perianth.

Flower shapes

The shape of the flowers is small spikelets, mostly gathering all together. After flowering, brown fruits are formed, which have the shape of a box or, less often, an ear.

Flowering period

The flowering period most often occurs in June-July, but some species bloom from early summer to mid-September.

Changes in care during flowering

During the flowering period of cyperus, feeding should be done a little more often, but the solution should be made less concentrated. It's also important to keep it out of direct sunlight, but don't shade too much.

Pruning

Frequent pruning is not recommended for this plant as it will slow down its growth. Only leaves that have undergone a disease or have already wilted need it.

Note! If the variegated variety suddenly turns green, then this must also be prevented by removing the stems with green foliage. If pruning has to be done during flowering, then all flowers must be removed.

Reproduction of cyperus

Cyperus can reproduce in different ways: by seed, cuttings, rosettes, using a tuber or dividing a bush. The choice depends on the capabilities of the grower, his experience and the availability of the necessary planting material.

Germinating seeds

Why is it important to know how to propagate cyperus with seeds? Because this method is often the only one possible for those who want to grow this extraordinary flower for the first time. But this is also the most time consuming method. First, you need to treat the seeds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then dry. Put the seeds in a container with a wet mixture of peat and sand (in equal quantities), without burying them. Cover with foil or glass on top, put in a warm, well-lit place, periodically moisten from a spray bottle and ventilate. You can transplant only after the appearance of 4-5 true leaves.

Germination from seeds

Rooting cuttings

Cuttings can be done in the spring by cutting off the top of the plant under the last whorl knot. Cut each sheet, leaving only a third of the length. With the sheets facing down, place the handle in a vessel with wet sand and put it in a warm place with good lighting. Most likely, the stalk itself will die, but young shoots will certainly appear. A month after the new bushes germinate, they can be transplanted into a separate pot.

Note! You can use water instead of sand. In this case, planting in a separate pot is performed when sufficiently long roots appear.

Leaf rosettes

In an adult cyperus, young, new ones develop in deciduous rosettes, which can be cut and transplanted. They should be placed in warm, damp sand and pressed down with something not too heavy. When the plant has new roots, the shoots can be transplanted into a medium for mature plants.

Important! The rosette can not be removed from the adult bush, but simply bend the stem to the soil, if there is enough space, and press it with something. The roots of a young plant will not keep you waiting long for their appearance.

Reproduction using tubers

When transplanting an adult plant, some of the tubers can be separated and rooted. They will take root immediately. This will help rejuvenate the mother plant.

Dividing the bush

When transplanting an adult plant, you can also cut off part of the bush with a sharp, well-sanitized knife. Places of cuts must be processed with crushed charcoal. New bushes should be planted in a substrate suitable for cyperus, watered abundantly and kept in a warm, bright place.

Transfer

The plant can be transplanted at any time of the year, since cyperus practically does not know the dormant period. Most often, it is transplanted as the soil depletes or as it outgrows the pot. But to preserve the decorative properties and more active growth and development of the plant, it is better to replant annually. When transplanting, you should choose a pot that is slightly larger than the previous one. If there are damaged roots, they should be removed.

Possible growing problems

Despite its unpretentiousness, cyperus can lose its visual appeal. This is most often caused by improper care or the manifestation of certain diseases. This must be carefully monitored so that the plant does not die.

Cyperus leaves are soft and brown

This suggests that cyperus is grown in uncomfortable conditions: low temperature, stagnant in pallets, spoiled water, too dry air or sunburn. When these problems are eliminated, the plant will come to life again, but the damaged stems should be cut off.

Important! At low temperatures, the leaves can also turn yellow. Comfortable conditions will help prevent this.

Leaves turn pale

Most likely, this problem appeared due to insufficient lighting. In winter, additional illumination is needed with special lamps that shine, but do not heat. In the summer, it is worth moving the flower to a brighter place.

The tips of the leaves have dried up, turned brown

This is due to too dry indoor air. It should always be remembered that this type of sedge should be sprayed regularly. Air humidifiers and covering the batteries with wet towels will also help (but it is better to remove the flower altogether away from the batteries). In any case, the humidity needs to be increased urgently.

Roots rot

The reason for this is most often too low temperature and too cold water in the sump. The way out is to move the plant to a warmer place. You also need to remove it from the pot and carefully examine the roots. If they have softened and turned brown, the flower cannot be saved. If there are healthy roots, you need to prune and disinfect the rest by transplanting into new soil and a pot. The plant needs to be watered with water with the addition of some fungicide, for example, phytosporin. This will help him to recover.

Cyperus is an incredibly beautiful plant, absolutely unpretentious and does not require special conditions of detention. It is believed that it not only decorates the house, but is also able to cleanse it of negative energy, and also helps to humidify the air. The plant is definitely worth having in every home.