Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Sedge or Rush
Tender Perennial
Origin
-
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Mexican Papyrus, Dwarf Papyrus, Giant Papyrus
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Moist Soils, tropical environments, Tropical regions, Wet ground, Wet lands
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-128-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
50.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flying insects, Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Heals minor burns, Wounds
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Constructing Boats, Used as fuel, Used in paper industry
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
CYPERUS 'Wild Spike'
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Papyrus, Wild Spike Cyperus
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
पेपिरस संयंत्र
Shell Ginger
In German
Papyrus-Pflanze
Shell Ginger
In French
usine papyrus
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
planta del papiro
Shell jengibre
In Greek
πάπυρο
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
planta do papiro
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Papyrus roślin
Shell Imbir
In Latin
cHARTA
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Agaricomycetes
Lilopsida
Order
Poales
Zingiberales
Family
Cyperaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Cyperus
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Cariceae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Cyperoideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
8150
1
27800
👆🏻