Easy Tropical Safe for pets

Umbrella Plant

Cyperus alternifolius

An elegant marsh plant with stems topped by radiating umbrellas of fine leaves, requiring constantly wet feet.

The essentials at a glance

Watering

Every day
Light

Bright indirect light
Humidity

60–80 %
Temperature

12–28 °C

How to care for your Umbrella Plant

Everything you need to keep your Umbrella Plant healthy: watering, light, humidity, feeding, repotting and pruning.

Cyperus alternifolius is a semi-aquatic perennial native to Madagascar, naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions. Its long, stiff green stems topped with star-shaped umbrellas of fine bracts resemble miniature parasols, earning it the umbrella plant nickname. It is one of the few houseplants that demands permanently wet feet, making it an ideal choice for gardeners who tend to overwater. Its growth is rapid and vigorous when conditions are met.

Watering your Umbrella Plant

Every day

Umbrella plant is a marsh plant that needs permanently wet feet. Always leave water in the saucer or place the pot in a planter filled with water. Never allow the substrate to dry out.

How to know it needs water

Water level in the saucer dry
Stems beginning to yellow and droop
Leaf tips browning and drying

How much light a Umbrella Plant needs

Bright indirect light

Bright to semi-shade. Tolerates moderate direct sun. Tolerates moderately lit situations but grows more vigorously in bright light.

Direct sun tolerated: 1 to 4 h a day
Orientations that suit it: North, North-east, East, South-east, South, South-west, West, North-west

Humidity and misting

60–80 %

60–80% Mist the foliage regularly to replicate its natural marshy habitat. Umbrella plant loves humidity in all forms.

Feeding and fertiliser

Every 14 days

Fertilize every 2 weeks from March to October, directly in the watering water. Umbrella plant is a vigorous plant that consumes high nutrients for its rapid growth.

Recommended feed: Liquid fertilizer for foliage or aquatic plants. · 3-1-2

Repotting your Umbrella Plant

Every 12 months

Divide the clump and replant in rich compost with added compost. Choose a wide, deep pot. Return immediately to a permanent water bath after repotting.

When: Spring (March–April)
Potting mix: All-purpose potting mix
Mix in: perlite, coco fibre

The tell-tale signs

Stems very crowded and clump overflowing the pot
Roots colonising the entire saucer
Vigour of new stems decreasing

Pruning your Umbrella Plant

Remove yellowed or dry stems as they appear. Rejuvenate the clump in late winter. Cut faded or yellow stems at the base with clean secateurs. In late winter, the entire clump can be cut back to 10 cm from the ground to fully regenerate it.

Through the year

Watering is not set once and for all: it follows the light and the growth. Allow 1 days between waterings in the depth of winter, against 1 in the growing season.

Active growth · Days between waterings

Good to know

The ancient papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) is a close cousin of this plant and was used by the Egyptians to create the first writing materials, ancestors of paper.
Indoor papyrus can be propagated in a unique way: by turning a cut umbrella upside down on water, new plantlets will emerge.

Frequently asked questions about the Umbrella Plant

How do you care for a Umbrella Plant?

Water it every day. Give it bright indirect light. Ideal humidity: 60–80 %. Ideal temperature: 12–28 °C. Umbrella plant is a marsh plant that needs permanently wet feet. Always leave water in the saucer or place the pot in a planter filled with water. Never allow the substrate to dry out.

How often should you water a Umbrella Plant?

Every day Umbrella plant is a marsh plant that needs permanently wet feet. Always leave water in the saucer or place the pot in a planter filled with water. Never allow the substrate to dry out. How to know it needs water : Water level in the saucer dry ; Stems beginning to yellow and droop ; Leaf tips browning and drying.

How much light does a Umbrella Plant need?

Bright indirect light Bright to semi-shade. Tolerates moderate direct sun. Tolerates moderately lit situations but grows more vigorously in bright light. 1 to 4 h a day

Is the Umbrella Plant toxic to cats and dogs?

No, the Umbrella Plant is not listed as toxic to cats and dogs. That is still no reason to let your pets chew on it.

Why are my Umbrella Plant leaves turning yellow?

Yellowing most often comes from too much water: the mix stays wet and the roots suffocate. Check that the pot drains, empty the saucer, and let the mix dry before watering again. Too little light or a cold draught cause the same symptom.

When should you repot a Umbrella Plant?

Repot every 12 months, ideally in spring (march–april). Divide the clump and replant in rich compost with added compost. Choose a wide, deep pot. Return immediately to a permanent water bath after repotting.