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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Papyrus


Papyrus

Cyperus papyrus

San Antonio Botanical Garden. Zones 9-11. Needs much water, so grow in water garden.

Interesting fact: Exodus 2:3 And when she could no longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.

Papyrus normally grow 6-8 ft.(1.8-2.4 m) tall. Papyrus was first recognized to have been used in ancient Egypt, however, it was also used across the Mediterranean region. Ancient Egypt used this plant for baskets, boats, mats, mattresses, rope and sandals.

Papyrus is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Cyperaceae. The three-angled stalks reach 15 ft. in length; they are thick and have scale-like leaves near the base. The leaves of the vegetative shoots look like narrow-lancelike blades.

Egypt was significant for papyrus in 2 details. First, papyrus plants grew virtually solely in the area of the Nile delta. Secondly, the dry weather of Egypt made it feasible for papyri to last, in numerous cases, for over 2 millennium.

Hardiness Zones 9a to 11. Grows best in full sun but tolerate part shade. Foliage is evergreen. Grows indoors but needs plenty of water which makes it suitable for water gardens.

Collect seeds and plant in well drained soil or divide the bulbs

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