After an obsession with Ancient Egypt for as long as I can remember, I have finally grown Papryus! It's always been a thing I've wanted to try and if you have too then I hope this helps

Step 1: Bit of History

The reed Cyperus Papyrus has been cultivated on the banks of the river Nile for many thousands of years. The plant provided an essential range of materials for ancient Egyptian people, the pith being flattened and layered into papyrus paper, and the outer epidermis being used to weave baskets and sandals. In Ancient Egypt they cultivated a special strain of papyrus that gave an excellent yield of pith for paper But unfortunately that species has been lost in the sands of time...

Step 2: Germinating- Some Internet Myths

Now if you have looked into growing papyrus then you will have read all of the dodgie articles posted on exotic plant website and how to sites... I'm here to tell you that they're all myth, or at least most of them: It takes a month to germinate False, I got a sprout in a week It's easy to grow Kind of true, but I had a good setup to grow it Germinates on blotting paper Never tried but that would take forever if done at room temperature

Step 3: Germination- How To

I managed to germinate my seeds in my Quick and Cheap Propagator. This simulated the condition of the Nile pretty effectively as as it was both warm and humid. I bought the seeds off eBay and received no instruction on how to grow them so I just guessed. Within a week a small sprout had grown

Step 4: Continue to Keep Warm

Over the next few months if the propagator is kept running then it will grow really well. Here are some pictures from over the last few months As papyrus is a reed they can reproduce asexually, creating runners from underground rhizomes. The last pictures show the growth of a secondary shoot.

Step 5: Derp Derp Derp Derp

Turns out, once grown to a substantial size, that I was fobbed off on eBay. The seeds were not for the Cyperus Papyrus plant, but rather for a close relative Cyperus Alternifolius

I now have real Papyrus seeds (I bloody hope) and should see a sprout soon