The open plant encyclopedia
Snap a photo or search by any name to see how to care for it, where it comes from, whether it's safe, and a 3D model you can turn.
The plants people record most in your country, and ones that grow there wild.
Filter by what you want to do, shape, origin, country, care and safety.
Cyperus
Also called Papyrus Sedges, Umbrella Sedges, Galingales, Sedge, Umbrella Sedge, Flatsedges, Nutsedges
Cyperus is a genus of about 700 sedges, mostly aquatic or wetland plants, ranging from tiny 5 cm species to 5 m giants. Commonly grown members include papyrus (C. papyrus) and umbrella sedge (C. alternifolius), which need wet roots and bright light.
Cyperus is a large genus of about 700 species of sedges, distributed throughout all continents in both tropical and temperate regions.
The word comes from the ancient Greek κύπερος (kúperos), which meant one or several species of this genus. Common names include papyrus sedges, flatsedges, nutsedges, umbrella-sedges, galingales, and zozoro (from Malagasy).
Cyperus species are eaten by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species, including Chedra microstigma. They also provide an alternative food source for Bicyclus anynana larvae. The seeds and tubers are an important food for many small birds and mammals.
Papyrus sedge (C. papyrus) of Africa was of major historical importance in providing papyrus. C. giganteus, locally known as cañita, is used by the Yokot'an Maya of Tabasco, Mexico, for weaving petates (sleeping mats) and sombreros. C. textilis and C. pangorei are traditionally used to produce the typical mats of Palakkad in India, and the makaloa mats of Niʻihau were made from C. laevigatus.
Tapertip flatsedge · Umbrella Sedge · Jointed flatsedge · Slender flatsedge · Mullumbimby Couch · Cyperus bulbosus · Variable flatsedge · Piedmont flatsedge · Globe flatsedge · Tall flatsedge · Yellow nutsedge · Haspan flatsedge
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Cyperus by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
