I wanted to add that I've been reading I can bring it in for winter, but leave it in a saucer of water. But.....It's container has a lot of roots growing out the bottom of it's present container. Should I just leave them alone, as is, in the saucer? I was also thinking of putting the whole container of the palm into a big bucket. Would I still just keep water in the very bottom, or should I continue to keep the top of the container submerged? I hope I don't bring in anything funky from the pond. Thanks!

What is it that you call "Umbrella Palm"? I know "Umbrella Grass", Cyperus alternifolius, which is a water plant. It's a bit out of control in some of my ponds.

Hli tropicbreezent. It's the alternifolius. Online searches just say to bring it in and keep it in a sunny place with water in the saucer. I wasn't sure if that was enough water, or if I should keep the whole small containers they're in, underwater in a larger bucket. Also wondering if I should keep some duckweed in the water, maybe just to keep the water cleaner?? I'll no doubt regret this. There have been other years when I tried to overwinter a sensitive water plant, with bad results. Oh well.......I'll give it one more try then just give up and order new each year. Unfortunately, it takes them awhile to grow to a nice height. Would you consider yours an invasive? Thanks!

It would be climate dependent, but it spreads aggressively. They don't seed though, so that slows them a bit. The tops when they fall will develop roots and become new plants. I used to provide garbage bags of tops to a friend with a nursery (commercial) and she used to just sit them in a pot of soil and in a short time sell them.

There were plants at my place when I bought it. They were in an out of the way spot where they got no water during our hot dry season but still grew back when the rains came. They survived as rhizomes in totally dry soil for 4 to 5 months. Those I have in ponds grow all year. Give them a bit of water and they'll keep going.

My guess is that you'd be able to over winter some rhizomes in a pot of dry soil. But keeping some in water inside in a warm sunny spot should work as well. Even in only wet soil they'll keep growing provided it's warm.

Thanks tropicbreezent. Are they native to your area? We'll see how these do inside. I'm having trouble keeping up with all the things I've loved outside for so many years. I may end up letting these die outside.....but they sure are pretty and would cheer me up in the winter.......right inside a sunny window, where my puzzle table is. :) I guess you're in spring now, right? How are you with rain amounts?

It's not native here but there is a fairly similar, one in name as well as appearance, that's native in other parts of the country (not specifically here), Cyperus alterniflorus. Mine appears to be C. alternifolius which is native to African areas.

Late in your growing season take off a few tops and sit them in water. You'll get lots more plants that you can experiment with on ways to get through your winter.

Our wet season only just started and this year it looks like the drought might break. Some places have already had a lot of rain. The heaviest rain usually starts in December and lasts until April. The weather bureau says it's going to be an above average season.

Thanks tropicbreezent. I'll try taking a few tops. When they sprout roots, should I just pot them up with soil and set them in the sun? Would they need a lot of water? Should they be sitting in water all the time? That would sure be an easier way to over-winter them. Would I fertilize them at all during the winter? I still have to bury one water lily and my miniature lotus plants and cover them with lots of leaves. Good thing my husband can do the heavy lifting! I didn't get any blossoms this year on my miniature lotus, so I guess it needs thinning. Do you think that's better in the Fall or the spring? Thanks!

P.S. Tropicbreezent.........I just took a couple tops off one of the plants and put it into water. But that got me thinking........does the blossom-top part need to be under water? The stem sure didn't look like it had anything to give, as far as rooting. Thanks!

Roots come out of the base of the leaflets, not from the stem. That's why you can cut the stem really short, it's more convenient. I used to throw the tops on the top of the pond and left them floating for a few days. Doesn't take long for small roots to show. Sedges are bog plants so keep them wet in soil, or just in shallow water.

I think thinning the Lotus is probably done best in spring. Although, I've never thinned mine.

Thanks tropicbreezent! I'm glad you are here for your great knowledge and info! I'll cut those stems really short today.