I moved into a house with a papyrus plant (not in water, in the earth). Basically, the center is all dead shoots and the growth is mainly on the outside. The new growth seems to be attached to the center above the ground more or less, so it would seem if I dug out the old growth in the center, it would kill the new growth as well (since the outside is attached to the inside above the ground). Is there anything I can do to induce new growth in the middle? Is this how payprus grows in general or did the previous owner prune it incorrectly; that is, is it possible to prune a papyrus in such a way that it keeps growing from the middle or do they all just die in the middle and grow on the edges? I would like to be able to have it grow in the middle again, but the middle is just crowded with cut-off stalks that never grew back up. Any help with how I should revive the plant, induce in to grow in the middle again, get rid of the dead areas without hurting the new growth, and/or how I should take care of it in the future. . .would be greatly appreciated!!
Please email me as well as respond here, if possible, so that I know that a reply has been received. Thanks in advance to all you people who know a heck of a lot more about plants than I do!
-Kevin ( snipped-for-privacy@aol.com)