Home gardeners find the plant’s growth rate and unique texture worth the annual investment. But even if your papyruses don’t come back the next spring, you can buy one or two each year and treat them as annuals. Further north, in Mississippi zones 8 and 9, papyrus usually dies back to the ground in cold weather and returns the next year.Įven in zone 7, regrowth can occur, especially if the plant is heavily mulched after cold weather sets in. You can consider these papyrus varieties perennials in areas where winter temperatures remain above 35 degrees. Papyrus plants generally don’t handle extended freezing temperatures very well. It is best to keep the soil moist, but once established, these plants are surprisingly tolerant of dry conditions. King Tut, Prince Tut and Baby Tut also do well when planted in normal landscape beds. A neat idea is to plant your papyrus in a container with the bottom holes plugged, keeping the root ball wet and happy. Papyrus plants love to be planted where the root ball stays really moist, like along the edge of a pond or in a rain garden. The flower clusters appear at the ends of these rays.

There is also an even smaller papyrus choice called Baby Tut, which stands less than 2 feet tall and would be fantastic in a container on the porch or patio.Īll three papyrus selections feature triangular green stems topped by an umbrella-like inflorescence made of hundreds of thread-like rays. I find it is perfect for displaying the 3-foot plant. I grow Prince Tut in my landscape in a large terra cotta container. Prince Tut is a fun plant and will not overwhelm a smaller space. But if you want that exotic look in your landscape, there are other, smaller options among the papyrus varieties. If you have a small growing space, then King Tut may just be too big.

King tut papyrus indoors