Papyrus is a tall, grass-like plant that grows in shallow water near the edges of rivers, lakes, and swamps, especially along the famous Nile River in Africa! It can grow up to 15 feet tall, which is about as high as the ceiling in a big room, and it has long, sturdy stems shaped like triangles. At the very top of each stem, there is a big, fluffy cluster of thin, thread-like leaves that fan out like a feathery pom-pom blowing in the breeze. Papyrus has been growing in Africa for thousands and thousands of years and is one of the most famous plants in history!
A long, long time ago, people in Ancient Egypt figured out something really clever: they could use the stems of the papyrus plant to make the very first kind of paper! They would slice the stems into thin strips, lay them in criss-cross layers, and then press and dry them to create smooth sheets they could write and draw on. In fact, our word “paper” actually comes from the word “papyrus!” Ancient Egyptians also used this amazing plant to make boats, sandals, baskets, and even rope. Today, papyrus still grows along riverbanks in Africa, and you can see examples of ancient papyrus paper in museums all around the world.