Question about my Cyperus Alternifolius

[DAVEinMB]

Alright so I bought this umbrella plant (Cyperus alternifolius) last year in Charleston. It seems to like where it's at and has grown very quickly. Everything I've read about them says they typically grow to 4' but on occasion can be a bit taller (5' or so). Well the tallest stalks on mine are in the 7' neighborhood. Is mine just on the tall side or could it be a different species? Thanks

[mnorell]

No, that's what you've got. Nice specimen! I used to have stands of this in Natchez, Mississippi (zone 9a, rather similar to the Savannah-to-Myrtle Beach climate zone); They do indeed get quite large. It largely depends on the growing conditions--how much sun vs. shade, and wet vs. dry--they receive in their environment. I had some old, old mats of it in a brick fountain/pond in our semi-shady New Orleans-style courtyard; and others planted out in the landscape in front of the house, where they received more sun. Both groups attained that 6-7' height you have encountered, but those in front of the house attained that height only if they received plenty of rain or irrigation. The volunteers that would appear usually stayed smaller if they weren't tended to. I also have a few volunteers that have appeared from a neighbor's yard in the Florida Keys; and one also in Rancho Mirage, California (hot, low desert). In those climates they do fine but stick more to the four-foot-ish height range. They really love that rainy, humid, southern/southeastern climate with rich, black soil. As I'm sure you know by now, they do not like frost and will die back (or at least look terrible) after the first good frost/freeze hits. But they come back pretty quickly in spring. Keep your eye on them as they may, after some years, get a bit out of hand through their ever-expanding root-mat. They will also slice up your hands and arms, in typical sedge fashion.

[DAVEinMB]

13 hours ago, mnorell said:

No, that's what you've got. Nice specimen! I used to have stands of this in Natchez, Mississippi (zone 9a, rather similar to the Savannah-to-Myrtle Beach climate zone); They do indeed get quite large. It largely depends on the growing conditions--how much sun vs. shade, and wet vs. dry--they receive in their environment. I had some old, old mats of it in a brick fountain/pond in our semi-shady New Orleans-style courtyard; and others planted out in the landscape in front of the house, where they received more sun. Both groups attained that 6-7' height you have encountered, but those in front of the house attained that height only if they received plenty of rain or irrigation. The volunteers that would appear usually stayed smaller if they weren't tended to. I also have a few volunteers that have appeared from a neighbor's yard in the Florida Keys; and one also in Rancho Mirage, California (hot, low desert). In those climates they do fine but stick more to the four-foot-ish height range. They really love that rainy, humid, southern/southeastern climate with rich, black soil. As I'm sure you know by now, they do not like frost and will die back (or at least look terrible) after the first good frost/freeze hits. But they come back pretty quickly in spring. Keep your eye on them as they may, after some years, get a bit out of hand through their ever-expanding root-mat. They will also slice up your hands and arms, in typical sedge fashion.

Good deal! I'll just chalk these up as being really happy haha. I'll have to post a comparison pic from last June when it was planted to now, it's remarkable. I have noticed it's footprint is expanding but it'll just be another clumping plant that I'll constantly have to prune. The plantings I've seen in the area that are completely exposed always take a beating after the first frost but look like nothing happened come springtime. Mine don't have dense canopy but they also aren't completely exposed. Their first winter in the ground they had very little to no burn with no additional protection. I imagine the taller stalks will get zapped this coming winter but I guess we'll see...the mule they're planted underneath is getting big 

[DAVEinMB]

Roughly 1 year comparison pic