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Umbrella Papyrus
Cyperus alternifolius
Also known as umbrella palm, papyrus, cyperus
Plantae›Tracheophyta›Liliopsida›Poales›Cyperaceae
A classic marginal/bog plant — stems stand above the water with roots submerged, pulling up large amounts of nitrate as a biofilter. Bright light; thrives permanently standing in aquarium water.
Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air: a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.
Where it's from
Native to Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Provinces and 28 more
Recorded as introduced in Algeria, Azores, Bahamas, Baleares and 70 more places
At a glance
- Light
- Bright
- Growth
- Fast
- Placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Member photos
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Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.
The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).
At a glance
- Light
- Bright
- Growth
- Fast
- Placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Keepers’ experiences
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