Keeping it in a tray of water is likely suffocating it.

Plants' roots need air as well as water. Likely yours is suffocating & maybe rotting partially.

I don't know this plant at all, but do know keeping it as you mentioned will likely kill it. Pls. read up on pebble trays & after letting this dry out a bit, try that.

That seems rather strange behaviour. I have a lot of Cyperus which grows quite densely. The stems fall over sometimes and when the top is touching the ground it sprouts roots and a new plant. They propagate and spread very fast. There are 100's of Cyperus species and a number of them are called "Umbrella Plants". So maybe yours is a different species to mine. Mine have never been fertilised (but they grow in the ground). I wouldn't expect hard water to be a problem. The 'springtail' creatures I'm not familiar with. But you could sit the plant in water (fully immersed) and force those creatures off. The water won't affect the plant. In fact it will probably love it. I've found the easiest way to propagate them is to cut the top off and float it in water. Within a short time there'll be a new plant emerging from the floating top. I used to supply bags full of tops that I'd just thrown into a pond to a lady that grew them on and sold them potted up.

Karen brings up a point that has oft left me confused. Cyperus(I'm assuming what we have here is an "Alternifollius",as it's among the easier ones to find)is a marginal plant meaning it lives on the edge of and a little bit into the water,and in the wild you will find them sticking up out of anaerobic mud which means the oxygen content down there would be zilch.

*edited to switch out a pic*

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:88942}}

This post was edited by asleep_in_the_garden on Fri, Jun 14, 13 at 0:47

Thanks for the replies. I wouldn't have thought standing the plant in water would cause it any problems - I have seen these grown partially submerged before...

I live in the UK so the plant is in a pot in the kitchen, not outside in the ground so perhaps I should give it a feed? I am a bit wary of doing that with it in a pretty bad way. The plant should be C. Alternifolius (at least that is what the seeds were sold to me as) but mine certainly doesn't look as lush and green as the picture! It is still very small, only about 6 inches or so. Could the drafty windowsill be a bit cold for it?

The creatures are tiny and they jump when disturbed. I will try and submerge the plant when I get back to get rid of them. I'll also try and attach a photo of the plant, which might help

Here is a picture if that is any help.

If it's Cyperus alternifolius, that is a native of Madagascar which has a tropical climate. So your plant probably would need more warmth. It does look 'very sad'.

Because so many Cyperaceae look similar they are probably misidentified with people giving conflicting information. I don't know what mine are although they do look the same as photos of C. alternifolius. It's night now but in the morning I'll get a photo and post it.

My main clump is growing on the edge of the turtle pond. It keeps moving into the pond but I keep cutting it back.

This is one of my clumps, tall enough to tickle my nose, or even poke me in the eye.

...And Nehpets,..I can tell you that from similar beginnings I ended up with clumps like Tropics'...before you know it you could be up to your neck in them. :)