Cyperus helferi

[Roger Miller <rgrmill at rt66_com>]

Folks,

A couple years ago (err, a little more than that) Tom Barr sent me some 
Cyperus helferi from a strain that I think grows unusually tall -- the full 
grown leaves are two feet long.  It's a slow-growing plant, which I think is 
a trait that the tall strain has in common with the shorter strain.  I've 
propogated it to five or six plants, but I've never overcome one problem.

The older leaves turn brown at the tips and slowly die back.  The process 
starts about the same time that the leaves reach full growth.  As a result, 
there's no such thing as a healthy-looking fully developed leaf.  Normally 
that sort of problem is likely caused by a nitrogen shortage, but dosing lots 
of nitrogen (water and substrate simultaneously) doesn't change the pattern.

Does this happen with all C. helferi, or is it just the tall strain? What do 
people do to prevent the leaves from dying back?


Roger Miller