John&Jacq~s Garden

Propagating Cyperus involucratus (Umbrella Plant/Sedge)

How to propagate Cyperus involucratus (Umbrella Plant/Sedge, Umbrella Grass/Papyrus, Dwarf Papyrus Grass)

These Umbrella Plants are so easily re-propagated! A single plant can provide material to last many many years. A lifetime, so to speak, as it suckers rather rapidly, forming dense clusters effortlessly.

Check on Umbrella Plant profile here, if you’re interested.

Some of the many ways to propagate Cyperus involucratus are:

• By dividing the clumps or root ball. Wherever possible, remove the dead crown within the divisions before replanting them. This is by far the quickest and easiest method. John and I normally choose this method as it’s an opportunity to spring-clean, repot and rejuvenate our pot-bound plants!
• By germinating seeds, if available. Umbrella Plant self-sows readily too.
• By tip cuttings. Either inverse them in a bottle/tray of water or plant directly on soil in a pot or ground.
• By bending down the tip end of a stem with its leaf bracts pinned down into the moistened soil. With regular watering, a new plant will eventually emerge within a few weeks from beneath.

Here, we’d like to share just 2 methods of vegetative reproduction which we’ve experimented:

A. How to propagate by tip cuttings, planted in potting soil:

1. Cut off a whole stem from the plant. Then, take only the tip cutting of about 10cm long and shorten the length of the leaf bracts as well.
2. Plant the tip cutting upside down in moistened potting medium. Push it down and cover with soil.
   
3. Place it at a sunny spot and with regular watering, a new plant should emerge within a month or so.
   

B. How to propagate by tip cuttings, inversed in water:

1. Cut off a whole stem from the plant. Then, take only the tip cutting of about 10-15cm long and shorten the length of the leaves as well.
   
2. Invert with its head plunge into a bottle or tray of water.
3. Site it at a sunny spot (to maintain warm temperature for best result) and roots will form at the center of the ‘upside-down umbrella’ and eventually a new plant will emerge and grow upward in about a month.
4. You can then plant it in potting medium – carefully snip off the old leaves of the tip cutting, being mindful not to damage the newly-formed roots and plant the new plant, either in a pot or in the ground. Best if plant can get morning sun or filtered sunlight for optimum growth.
5. This photo below illustrates how the plants are faring on July 12, more than 3 months later.
   

Enjoy…hope the tips have been useful!

Last edit: June 4, 2016

Tags: propagation, propagation by cuttings