Golden Acre Home & Garden Centre's Plant Library

Description:

This variety is a semi-aquatic, grass-like plant producing long green stems with green bracts; perfect for pond side planting or in wet areas of the garden; doesn't mind being submerged at the base

Ornamental Features

Umbrella Plant's attractive grassy leaves remain green in colour throughout the season on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Umbrella Plant is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Umbrella Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Water Gardens
• Container Planting
• Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing

Umbrella Plant will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Umbrella Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.