Sensitive Palm Plant

Biophytum sensitivum

Name: Biophytum sensitivum
Brand: GrowTropicals
SKU: BIOPSENS9
Price: 9.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

£9.99

Pot size

9cm £9.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

Complete the set up

The perfect soil Terrarium Premium Substrate (ABG Mix) · 2.5L · £5.99

Description

Biophytum sensitivum is a charming little plant that brings a touch of the tropics into your home. When touched, the leaflets fold downward in a slow, deliberate movement, reopening after a few minutes once the stimulus has passed. The leaves also fold closed at night, a behaviour known as nyctinasty. It is a compact, curious, and genuinely interactive plant that works beautifully in terrariums, on desks, or anywhere it will get regular attention.

Please note: These plants are sold at flowering size. Once they reach maturity and begin flowering, they will produce flowers and seeds for 6-9 months before eventually completing their life cycle.

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.

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Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

Best quality plants guaranteed

7 day live arrival guarantee

Delivered to your door with care

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How to care for Sensitive Palm Plant

Give me a bright spot and check my soil before watering.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.

Get to know me

About Sensitive Palm Plant

Soil & Substrate

Biophytum sensitivum prefers a consistently moist, well-draining substrate. Our Simply Houseplant Tropical Potting Mix suits it well: a balanced peat-free mix that retains gentle moisture without waterlogging. Keep the soil evenly moist at all times; it does not tolerate drying out. Warmth and humidity are important: a terrarium or grow cabinet is ideal for maintaining the consistent conditions this species thrives in.

Origins

Native to tropical regions across Asia, Africa, and Central America, Biophytum sensitivum grows in warm, humid forest-floor environments with consistent moisture and dappled light. It is a short-lived perennial that produces small yellow or pink flowers and self-seeds readily in the right conditions.

Also known as

Biophytum sensitivum

Genus

Biophytum →

More on caring for houseplants What does bright indirect light mean? Should I mist my houseplants?

Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

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 48 hours 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.

Meet the family

Everything about Biophytum

Biophytum is a genus of small, herbaceous plants best known for Biophytum sensitivum, a species famous for its leaves that gently fold in response to touch, light changes, or evening conditions. Its symmetrical rosette of leaflets gives it a palm-like appea...

More about Biophytum care

Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

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.

Good for your home - and the planet.

Verified reviews

Rated by real customers

Customers praised this unique tropical plant for its fascinating leaf-folding behavior, noting "it completely folds up its leaves at night." The plant arrived healthy with excellent packaging. Shoppers loved watching it "go to bed" and "wake up" daily. Some concerns: plant has a 1-2 year lifespan after flowering, and occasional cold heat packs during winter shipping.

It really closes and opens its leaves. So darn cute! Love seeing it go to bed then wake up.
We love watching the drama each day as the leaves close and branches fold like an umbrella!
The leaves point toward the stars at night and lay flat when the Sun comes up.

5 stars: 50 (88%)
4 stars: 4 (7%)
3 stars: 2 (4%)
2 stars: 1 (2%)
1 star: 0 (0%)

It's been an interesting experience

Really funny little plant. Bought it a couple of months ago and it has since shot seeds all over the room multiple times. I'm attempting to grow the seeds but I'm not expecting any success :sweat_smile:
Its not really that sensitive, yet it does completely fold up its leaves at night which is fun to see.
It has joined the ranks of my Grow Tropical plants.

Beautiful rare plant

Carefully packaged. When I unwrapped it soon sprung to life. Love it thanks very happy

Finally got it!

I've been looking for this plant for a while! It arrived in great condition, despite its sensitive nature. There're already a few seedlings (or weeds? Lol) on the soil surface, ready for the new cycle to begin!

I've named her Heidi!

This plant has been on my wishlist for a few years now and I finally treated myself and bought her! She is adorable and I love it when she folds up her leaves, it is so fascinating - I named her Heidi because she likes to hide away! Have a wonderful day everyone <3

Perked up within an hour

Perked up within an hour of unboxing and is now happily perky under some of my larger plants so it doesn’t get burnt by the sun

Inspired by Amy at Perky

Inspired by Amy at Perky plants and absolutely love it. Packing brilliant as normal. Popped in a jar with a light.

This is going to be

This is going to be my show stopper. Very nice.

Biophytum sensitivum

Such a strange plant. It really closes and opens its leaves. Such a cute plant. Great packaging. I thought it might be unhappy when I opened it. But those leaves popped up quickly. So darn cute! Love seeing it “go to bed” then “wake up” for the next day.

Tropical plant

Arrived safely. Very well packed with the heat pad I ordered. So far so good. I hope I don’t kill it. Living in Scotland will make it harder

Perfect condition. Healthy happy plant, and superbly packaged.

DRAMATIC

We love watching the drama each day as the leaves close and the branches fold in like an umbrella! So entertaining!! The flowers are there so hoping to cultivate a new baby from a seed or two!

Great plant

Excellent

Delivered in beautiful condition

Healthy, thriving plant in great

Healthy, thriving plant in great condition, fits great in my collection

Fantastic plant

Lovely plant. Still going strong

Lovely plant. Still going strong weeks later.

Exactly what I was looking for

I was so happy to receive this lovely plant, as it is difficult to source. It arrived superfast and in excellent condition.

Plants review

We love your plants and one has a new leaf already. Great packaging and delivery.

Fabby plant

You really need to tell people that this plant dies after flowering and will only last 1 to 2 years if well cared for :u1FAB4::woman-shrugging:

Exotic

It looks like a miniature Palm tree. Love it!!

Exactly as described!

Lovely plant for our terrarium

Lovely plant for our terrarium and well packaged and healthy . Very pleased.

Perfectly packaged, Lovely plant

Perfectly packaged, Lovely plant

The biophytum has made a

The biophytum has made a perfect centre piece in one of my terrariums and is thriving.
As usual the plant came fully protected and in great condition.

4 star for plants 3 stars for order as heat pack cold no winter protection

Exactly as described

We recommend

Biophytum sensitivum

£9.99

Biophytum sensitivum

Plant Size Guide

5–8cm

Mini

9–11cm

Small

12–14cm

Medium

15–18cm

Large

19+cm

Extra Large

How to care for Sensitive Palm Plant

What our customers say

About Sensitive Palm Plant

Soil & Substrate

Origins

Also known as

Genus

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything about Biophytum

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Perfect for Gifting

Sustainability at Heart

Rated by real customers

We recommend

Get in touch

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