12cm

Hawaiian Palm

Brighamia insignis

Name: Brighamia insignis
Brand: GrowTropicals
SKU: BRIGINSIHAHAWA12
Price: 18.99 GBP
Availability: InStock

£18.99 £19.99 SAVE 5%

Hard to kill

Pot size

12cm £18.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

A plant that no longer exists in the wild. Brighamia insignis, known as the Hawaiian Palm or Alula, was declared extinct in its native habitat on the sea cliffs of Kaua'i, Hawai'i, with the last wild individual disappearing around 2020.

Every plant in cultivation today exists because of conservation propagation efforts. Its form is unmistakable: a thick, succulent trunk that bulges at the base and tapers toward the top, crowned with a compact rosette of glossy, fleshy leaves. It looks like nothing else on a houseplant shelf, and growing one is a small act of keeping a species alive.

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 Hawaiian Palm

Set me near a bright window, out of direct sun and hold the water until my soil is properly dry.

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 Hawaiian Palm

Brighamia insignis is an easy-care houseplant. It needs bright indirect light and watering only once the compost has dried right through.

Good for

Office

Care level

EasyChallenge

Easy care

Light

ShadeFull sun

Bright, indirect light

Give this plant as much bright light as possible, but avoid harsh direct sun for long periods. A south-facing window can be too intense, especially in summer, so place the plant about 1 metre back from the glass or filter the light with a sheer curtain. Sudden or prolonged direct sun through glass can cause scorching. If natural light is limited, a grow light is a great way to keep growth compact and healthy. Read moreShow less

Learn more →

Watering

Evenly moistDries out fully

Let it dry out fully between waterings

Water deeply until excess runs through the drainage holes, then allow the substrate to dry out completely before watering again. This plant stores water in its tissues, so it is highly drought-tolerant and far more sensitive to overwatering than underwatering. Always check the soil rather than watering on a schedule and when in doubt, wait a bit longer. Read moreShow less

Learn more →

Feeding

Feed monthly with a balanced fertiliser from spring to autumn, and let it rest over winter.

Soil & Substrate

Brighamia insignis is a succulent that needs sharp drainage and dislikes wet roots. Our Desert Mix is a peat-free cacti and succulent substrate that provides the fast drainage this species requires, replicating the thin, mineral soils of its cliff-face habitat.

Growth habit

Upright →Rosette →

Plant type

Succulent →

Origins

Endemic to the islands of Kaua'i and Ni'ihau in Hawai'i, Brighamia insignis grew on exposed sea cliffs and rocky ledges at elevations up to 480 metres. Despite its common name, it is not a palm but a member of the bellflower family, Campanulaceae. Habitat loss and the decline of its natural pollinator drove it to extinction in the wild.

Also known as

Brighamia insignis

More on caring for houseplants How often should I water my houseplant? Your Complete Guide to Grow Lights – With Grow Gang!

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.

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 striking, prehistoric-looking Hawaiian palm as "beautiful" and "stunning" with vibrant leaves. Most reported excellent packaging and healthy plants with "roots in wonderful health." However, some experienced leaf yellowing/browning shortly after arrival, finding care "a bit tricky." One delivery delay noted.

Beautiful little tree, the roots are in wonderful health.
Looks prehistoric yet also like a brand newly created plant. Lots of leaves and so vibrant.
Striking and unusual. Like a very small Frangipani crossed with a desert rose.

5 stars: 22 (81%)
4 stars: 2 (7%)
3 stars: 3 (11%)
2 stars: 0 (0%)
1 star: 0 (0%)

Beautiful little tree , mine has a baby ! I put it straight in a terracotta pot. The roots are in wonderful health. So I put it in a mix of lava, pumice, zeolite, coco and wormcastings. Hoping it'll fill out with more leaves. I put it under my Pianta grow lights, seems happy so far.

“Cabbage on a stick”

Love this plant. Looks prehistoric yet also like a bran newly created plant. Lots of leaves and so vibrant. I hope I can get flowers but if I don’t still love the shape and colour of the leaves and bark

A bit tricky but very tropical!

My experience of these is not great, I have had before and they haven’t survived! This one arrived in good condition but some leaves turn yellow fairly quickly and now she is sitting directly under a grow light. I will not give up!

Beautiful healthy plant! Absolutely love

Beautiful healthy plant! Absolutely love it.

The plant was wrapped securely

The plant was wrapped securely and in a very good condition. I really adore this cute plant that brings out the tropical vibe! I hope I'll be able to take care of it for a good amount of time :u1FAB4: as long as it survives haha.

I can’t stop buying from these guys

As I said as soon as an order arrives I'm on the website looking for my next plant or pot
I absolutely love the bergs potter julie rose pot
As always delivered fast well packaged and most importantly a healthy plant
Cannot recommend enough

Amazing plants

Great packaging, amazing plants. Didn’t arrived for next day delivery when I paid extra for it tho. But overall still good.

Excellent quality plants

Hawaiin Palm leaves are very delicate, the plant arrived in secured packaging, all leaves intact.

Wow

An amazing plant and I had a few Hawaiian palms but by far this is the best
I should have bought 2
Exactly as in th photo

Bridget

She is beautiful! arrived well secured, happy in the sun! :)

Hawaiian Palm

So pleased with my cute little palm. It was packaged and dispatched with real care and had loads of new shoots!

First purchase from Grow Tropicals

Very healthy plants, beautifully wrapped and arrived in great shape. Very happy. :smiley:

Rare plant

I’ve seen mature plants in Hawaii. This is a good remembrance xx

Beautiful Hawaii Palm

Lovely and fun looking plant. Like a very small Frangipani/Plumeria crossed with a desert rose. Striking and unusual.

Stunning Hawaiian Palm! Just gorgeous! Ive had several planys from Grow Tropicals and ive been happy with all my purchases!

Lovely, but poorly

It’s a beautiful plant, but within 48 hours, all the outer leaves were turning brown. Took immediate advice from the Planta team. Have done everything suggested in terms of light and care, but more and more is turning yellow/ brown and dying off. So obviously feeling quite sad/disappointed.

Fabby

Very unusual and a stricking plant

Quick delivery and well packaged

Arrived really quickly. Wrapped and protected well with a heat pack because of the weather. Really pleased. Will shop again.

Stunning plant

Stunning plant

Trying to give a review

Trying to give a review but it’s not working

Great service; great plants

Well packaged, healthy plants. Very lush, in every sense of the word!

Great service

Great service

Not sure about this one. Lost all but two of its leaves since arriving …

Hi Annette,

I'm really sorry to hear that you're not happy with the quality of the
plant that you have received from us.

If you could send us some photos of the mix, along with your thoughts, to
hello@growtropicals.com, we would be more than happy to offer a resolution
this for you here.

Not sure about this one. Lost all but two of its leaves since arriving …

Present for my niece

My niece made an amazing birthday cake for my husband.
She loves plants so I decided to buy her an unusual plant to say thanks. She loved her new plant.

Great specimen

Great specimen

We recommend

Brighamia insignis

£18.99 ~~£19.99~~

Brighamia insignis

Plant Size Guide

5–8cm

Mini

9–11cm

Small

12–14cm

Medium

15–18cm

Large

19+cm

Extra Large

How to care for Hawaiian Palm

What our customers say

About Hawaiian Palm

Good for

Care level

Light

Watering

Feeding

Soil & Substrate

Growth habit

Plant type

Origins

Also known as

Frequently Asked Questions

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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