GRACEFUL GRASSES® PRINCE TUT CYPERUS™ IN GARDEN BEDS

It’s not too common to see Prince Tut papyrus growing in the landscape, but that makes it all the more fun to encounter on a stroll through the garden. Its airy texture contrasts beautifully with plants that have broad, flat leaves or a low, mounded habit. Prince Tut’s huge umbrella-shaped tassels dance to the slightest breeze, imbuing vitality into your garden design.

This plant could be used as a focal point underplanted with shorter plants like Infinity® New Guinea impatiens in part shade or could be planted en masse under the tall canopy of Heart of the Jungle® Colocasia in full sun. Prince Tut’s mid-sized 18 to 30” height makes it easy to pair with both short and tall plants in the landscape.

prince tut cyperus garden bed
prince tut cyperus garden bed 2

PLANTING YOUR GARDEN BED

  • Select a location that receives a minimum of four hours of sun per day. All-day sun works too as long as enough moisture is provided.
  • This is one plant that won’t mind your poorly drained clay soil. It will easily soak up all of the excess moisture and nutrients there. If your soil is very sandy, boost the fertility and water-holding capacity of the soil by incorporating compost and/or peat or choose to grow it in a container instead.
  • Give this plant plenty of room for its large, woody rhizomes to spread. One of the primary advantages to growing Prince Tut in the ground is that root space is less limited, and the roots will naturally be able to seek out moisture in the soil.
  • Mix a bit of continuous release plant food into the bottom of the hole before you add the plant. This will ensure a small amount of nutrients is available throughout the growing season.
  • Water your newly planted Prince Tut immediately to help the soil settle in around the plants’ roots.

CARING FOR YOUR GARDEN BED

Sunlight and water are the two primary needs of this low maintenance ornamental papyrus. Follow the tips below to get the best performance from your plants.

SUNLIGHT

  • The size and robustness of your Prince Tut papyrus will depend in part on how much sunlight it receives. It grows the biggest when it has six or more hours of sun per day and consistent moisture. However, the plants will also grow and bloom well in part sun. They will just be a bit smaller.
  • This grass is amazingly tolerant of a range of sun conditions. It won’t burn from the sun’s intense reflection off of the water if you grow it at the water’s edge. It will also continue to bloom if it receives just a few hours of sun plus open shade for the remainder of the day. Dark spots in the garden are not the best place for Prince Tut.

WATER

  • Cyperus papyrus is traditionally considered to be an aquatic plant, meaning it grows well in shallow water and at the water’s edge. Today’s modern varieties like Prince Tut papyrus are well-adapted to use as a modern ornamental for landscapes. It retains a strong preference for moist soil which is easier to provide when you grow the plant in heavier garden soils.
  • Water Prince Tut regularly and don’t let the soil dry out to the point your plants start to wilt, as this will cause its plumes to turn brown. If this happens, trim away the damaged bits to make room for new plumes to form.

PLANT FOOD

  • Prince Tut papyrus needs far less plant food than hungry annuals like petunias, so it is ideal to pair it with other foliage plants like ColorBlaze® coleus, Sweet Caroline sweet potato vines or Plum Dandy™ alternanthera which also do not need to be fed often. It won’t hurt the plant if it gets fed a little more often than necessary, but generally ornamental grasslike plants do not require much fertilizer.
  • At time of planting, mix some Proven Winners continuous release plant food into the bottom of the hole. Follow package directions for rates. This will provide a small amount of nutrients to the plant through the season. If you are growing Prince Tut in a warm climate year-round, scratch another scoop of continuous release plant food into the soil halfway through the season.

TRIMMING

  • Prince Tut is an evergreen grass that produces new flower plumes all season long. Once they are spent, the individual plumes turn light brown and should be trimmed away to make room for new ones to form. It is normal to see some browning of the oldest plumes; that is not a sign of decline. However, if your whole plant begins to turn brown, it is likely not receiving adequate moisture for the conditions.
  • In tropical zones 10-11 where this plant is hardy, it will remain green year-round. If it grows too large for your space and needs to be divided, do so only in the spring since fall division can greatly impact its ability to live through the winter.
  • This plant is not hardy enough to survive winters with freezing temperatures and it is not a candidate to overwinter inside because it is evergreen. However, it is a very fast grower and will quickly reach its impressive size again when planted fresh in the spring.
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