This is a fun plant to grow in a pond or a bog garden or just in some puddle. The umbrella plant is related to papyrus and is a grass-like plant found in wet habitats in Madagascar.

They are grown for their foliage: 11-25 green leaf like bracts, 4-6 inches long, arranged on a long stem looking like an umbrella. From summer to autumn they are topped by small pale yellow-brown flowers.

Grow in any wet soil in partial shade or sun.

We have read that this grows in zones 10-12, but ours grows nicely all year on the edge of zones 8 - 9.

Indoors it should be kept in a saucer. It grows best in full sun.

Propagation is by seed. Alternatively, you can turn the leafy inflorescence of this plant upside down in water, or pinned onto the surface of consistently moist perlite or potting mix and plantlets will develop. Just cut the stem below the leaf bract and turn it upside down and pin it to some wet soil. See what happens!