Asplundia sp. is a cyclanth, one of around 100 species in the Cyclanthaceae, the Panama hat plant family, and a genus that reaches cultivation only rarely. The long stalked leaves split at the tip into two lobes like a fishtail and are pleated along their length, giving the look of a young palm without being a palm at all. This plant has not been identified to species, so its mature leaf shape and size are still to come, which is part of the appeal for anyone who collects rare tropical foliage.
Origins The genus ranges from Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean to Bolivia and southern Brazil, in humid lowland and montane forest. Gunnar Harling described it in 1954. Some species stay low on the forest floor and spread by thick rhizomes, while others climb tree trunks as hemiepiphytes. The family's best known member is Carludovica palmata, whose young leaves are woven into Panama hats.
Care Bright, indirect light or a moderately lit spot, out of direct sun, which bleaches and scorches the pleated leaves. Keep the compost evenly moist, watering again as the surface begins to dry, and never leave it standing in water. Humidity matters: dry air shows up as brown leaf tips, so a humid room, a large plant cabinet or a humidifier keeps the foliage at its best, and rainwater or filtered water is kinder than hard tap water. Keep it above 15C all year, well away from cold draughts, as the genus has very little tolerance for cold. Its safety around pets has not been assessed, so keep it out of reach.
Live Arrival Guarantee
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
Your quick reference for choosing the right plant size. We group our plants by the diameter of their nursery pots which gives you a consistent way to understand scale.
5–8cm
Mini
Small but full of charm. These compact plants are perfect for desks, windowsills, and small shelves, or for building out a collection over time. Ideal if you enjoy watching your plants grow from the beginning. Approx. height: 10–20cm
9–11cm
Small
A step up in presence, great for side tables, shelves, or styling in clusters. Easy to move around and perfect for adding greenery without taking up too much space. Approx. height: 25–35cm
12–14cm
Medium
Our most versatile size. Works beautifully on shelves, desks, and plant stands, offering a fuller look without dominating a space. A great balance between impact and flexibility. Approx. height: 25–50cm
15–18cm
Large
More established plants with fuller foliage and stronger structure. Ideal for creating soft focal points in a room. Great for corners, beside furniture, or as standalone features. Approx. height: 40–70cm
19+cm
Extra Large
Big, impactful plants designed for floors and open spaces. These are your statement pieces and are perfect for anchoring a room or transforming a corner with instant greenery. Approx. height: 60cm–1.3m
Pots that fit this plant
We recommend
How to care for Asplundia sp.
Set me near a bright window, out of direct sun and water me little and often so I stay evenly moist.
In their words
What our customers say
EP
Emily P.
Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.
JR
James R.
Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.
SL
Sophie L.
Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.
Get to know me
About Asplundia sp.
Asplundia sp. is a houseplant that takes a little effort. It needs bright indirect light, watering often enough to keep the compost evenly moist, high humidity and a minimum temperature of 15°C.
Bright, indirect light or a moderately lit spot. Keep it out of direct sun, which can bleach and scorch the pleated leaves.Read moreShow less
Bright, indirect light or a moderately lit spot. Keep it out of direct sun, which can bleach and scorch the pleated leaves.
Watering
Evenly moistDries out fully
Keep evenly moist
Keep the compost evenly moist, watering again as the surface begins to dry. Never leave it standing in water, and use rainwater or filtered water where you can.Read moreShow less
Keep the compost evenly moist, watering again as the surface begins to dry. Never leave it standing in water, and use rainwater or filtered water where you can.
Humidity
Average homeHigh humidity
Needs high humidity
Needs high humidity. Dry air leads to brown leaf tips, so use a humid room, a large plant cabinet or a humidifier.Read moreShow less
Needs high humidity. Dry air leads to brown leaf tips, so use a humid room, a large plant cabinet or a humidifier.
Temperature
15°
0°C25°C
Keep above 15°C · Likes a warm room
Warm all year, ideally above 15C. Keep it well away from cold draughts and chilly windows, as it has very little tolerance for cold.Read moreShow less
Warm all year, ideally above 15C. Keep it well away from cold draughts and chilly windows, as it has very little tolerance for cold.
Feeding
Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.
It has not been identified to species, so it is sold as Asplundia sp. The genus holds around 100 species, and while most carry fishtail leaves split into two lobes, leaf shape, size and texture vary a great deal between them, so the mature look of this plant is not settled.
Is Asplundia a palm?
No. It belongs to the Cyclanthaceae, the Panama hat plant family, which is only distantly related to true palms. Cyclanths earn their palm-like look from long-stalked, pleated leaves. The family's best known member, Carludovica palmata, supplies the fibre woven into Panama hats.
Why are the leaf tips turning brown?
Brown tips usually point to dry air, cold, compost that has been allowed to dry out, or hard tap water and a build-up of fertiliser salts. Raise the humidity, keep it warm and evenly moist, switch to rainwater or filtered water, and feed only sparingly.
How big will it get?
That depends on the species, which is unknown. In the wild some Asplundia stay low on the forest floor and spread by rhizomes, while others climb tree trunks. In a pot it will stay far smaller than in the forest, but it can become a substantial plant with age, so give it room to spread its leaves.
Is Asplundia safe for pets?
Its safety has not been confirmed. Asplundia does not appear on the ASPCA plant list or in the NC State Extension plant database, and no toxicity information has been published for the genus. Keep it out of reach of pets and children as a precaution.
Are your plants treated with pesticides?
We aim to avoid using pesticides where possible, but we can't control the whole supply chain.
If the plant is going into a vivarium, terrarium or aquarium with live animals, rinse the leaves and roots well, remove any soil and let the plant dry out before adding it. We'd also suggest keeping it away from animals for a month first.
Can I see a photo of the exact plant I'll receive?
We're not able to send photos of individual plants or let you choose a specific one, as plants are selected by our team when your order is packed. Our photos show the variety and the kind of plant you can expect, and yours may vary a little in height, shape or fullness.
If a size has a code next to it, such as 9cm / B2, you're buying the exact plant pictured.
Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 7 days with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.
Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Perfect for Gifting
From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.
Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.
Sustainability at Heart
All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.
