Papyrus reeds growing next to water, historical artwork. This is the Egyptian papyrus plant (Cyperus papyrus), also known as the Egyptian paper rush and the Egyptian bulrush. This plant has stout bare stems crowned with offshoots of long thin leaves. It normally grows to a height of between one and three metres. It grows in tropical Africa and along the Nile, and its pith was used by the ancient Egyptians to produce papyrus paper.