How to Plant Umbrella Palm in a Pond (Care & Grow Guide)

by Tory Jon | Last Updated: November 16, 2022

Pond Academy is reader-supported. Buying through links on our site may earn us an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Umbrella Palm, often referred to as just "palm" or sedge, is a tropical pond plant that is super easy to grow and care for.

This tropical plant features long stiff stems and leaves that fan out, mimicking the look of an umbrella. This impressive plant's height will make it stand out, sometimes reaching 5-plus feet! If that's too much for your pond area, a dwarf umbrella palm reaches about 2 feet tall.

Remember, since this tropical plant is hardy in zones 8 - 10, it will thrive in warmer climates and must be brought inside over winter.

Live Umbrella Palm

Price:

Buy Now on Amazon

Clicking this link to make a purchase may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

How to Plant Umbrella Palm in a Pond

Umbrella Palm is best planted in pots with potting media and a thin layer of small gravel on top (to keep the media from floating out into your pond) and placed around the marginal areas of your pond in up to 6 inches of water. Make sure it's in a spot that gets ample sunlight. Planting in a container will make it easy to control growth and remove the plant to overwinter.

Umbrella Palm Care Guide

Umbrella Palm plants require very little maintenance if you plant them in potting containers (which will help control their growth).

You will still need to trim their roots from time to time. This can be easily done by removing the aquatic pots from your pond, removing the plant from the pot, and using a handsaw to cut the root ball in half (or dividing the plant into two). You can now add both plants back into your pond or give one to a friend.

Umbrella Palm is not cold-hardy, so it must be brought indoors and placed near a window to receive sunlight.

Live Umbrella Palm

Price:

Buy Now on Amazon

Clicking this link to make a purchase may earn us a commission at no additional cost to you.

Umbrella Palm Care Card

Download our free printable care card for the Umbrella Palm plant! Click the care card below and save the PDF file to your computer. You can easily print off the 3x5 care card or access it right from your phone. Get all the important information you need to keep your Umbrella Palm plants healthy and happy!

Plus, we provide a blank card for you to print and fill out yourself. Print it as many times as you like to create cards for all your plants!

Pond Plant Care Card Set

We respect your email privacy

Umbrella Palm Plant FAQs

Can Cyperus alternifolius live in water?

Cyperus alternifolius, or umbrella palm, prefers wet and moist conditions, thriving best in the marginal or boggy areas of a pond.

Are Umbrella Palms easy to care for?

Thankfully, for those who think you are not that good at taking care of plants, the umbrella palm does not require much maintenance. All you need to do is provide the plant with moist soil, and you can add some fertilizer now and then. If the plant is near a pond, you don't need to do that since it will get all the nutrients from the water.

Is Umbrella Palm invasive?

Umbrella palms can be invasive in the right conditions, especially the large palm varieties. In fact, it is on the state's invasive plant list in Florida.