Cyclanthaceae: Panama Hat Plant Family

MANILA, Philippines - The family Cyclanthaceae is native to tropical America. Members of the family are very popular garden plants all over the tropics. In the Philippines, it is always incorrectly called “Pseudo-Palm” or “Pseudo-Palmae” by novice gardeners. 

Cyclanthaceae usually have palm-like, wedge-shaped or cleft leaves growing in whorl or leaves on one plane on very short or creeping trunks. The plants of this family love warm moist conditions. Plants are usually not picky in choice of soil, accounting for their popularity in gardening.

There is a current surge of interest on the leaves among the florists because some species can stay good-looking even after they were soaked in water for 2 to 3 months. Candidates for the cutfoliage use are: Carludovica sp. cv “Jungle Drum”, Carludovica palmata and Ludovia lanceolata.

The biggest use for the Cyclanthaceae currently is for high-end Landscapes. The plant may be grown under shade or half exposed and will maintain their form for a year or so and will not outgrow their initial form, therefore excellent for low-maintenance gardens. It is ideal for back planting and as an indoor plant.

The pests somehow find it difficult to sink their mandibles on the plant. It is relatively pest-free for some other curious reasons. Leaves can take a lot of rains without being damaged and insect pests simply hate it. The only thing that can ruin a good plant is strong wind which is seldom encountered where it preferentially grows (i.e. understorey).  

Cyclanthaceae consist of 12 genera: Asplundia Harling, Carludovica Ruiz & vPav., Chorigyne R.Erikss., Cyclanthus Poit., Dianthoveus Hammel & Wilder, Dicranopygium Harling, Evodianthus Oerst., Ludovia Brongn., Schultesiophytum Harling, Sphaeradenia Harling, Stelestylis Drude and Thoracocarpus Harling. Among these the most popular ones for Horticultural use are: Cyclanthus, Carludovica and Ludovia. Some common cyclanthacea in the Philippines are:

Cyclanthus bipartitus. A highly variable species, clump-forming stem. Green, yellow, variegated foliage varieties, dwarf forms and non-splitting foliage forms exist in horticultural trade. It is a favorite among horticulturists because it can grow baby plants from leaf cuttings. The ease of propagation was responsible for the varietal diversity in trade and is also the culprit in Virus transmission. Currently there is a mosaic virus infecting most of the stocks in Asia which may easily be transmitted by knives use in cutting the leaf for propagation.

Cyclanthus may be propagated through seeds. This method of propagation may rid the new plants of the virus if carefully done.

Carludovica sp. cv. “Jungle Drum”. This is a commercial variety released in United states during the late 80’s. The compact plant grows to an average size of 3 feet and look like a small palm tree. A red lower-leaf form was introduced late 90’s. Most plants available in the market came from tissue culture. 

Carludovica palmata or The Panama-Hat Plant. The leaves of this plant are sturdy and may be woven into a hat. The leaf can grow to 10 feet with blades nearly 3 feet long, parted in 3 to 5 segments with tips drooping. Leaves grow off short creeping stems. The plant looks like fan palm with an incomplete fan. It can survive where palms can not. 

With the threat of the Palm beetle (Bronthispa longissimus) attacks in the Philippines, it may be worth the landscapers’ while to consider this plant as a substitute plant for palm.

Panama-Hat Plant may be propagated through runners or stem cuttings. Unlike Cyclanthus, the leaves do not produce plantlets. Planting seeds obtained from the elongated-pineapple-looking fruit yields 800 to 5,000 seeds for planting.

Ludovia lancaefolia (syn. Ludovia crenifolia). A very attractive small dark green palm-like plant with thick rooting system and thick rigid leaves in 2 ranks. Leaves are pleated with roundish lobes at the terminus of each pleat lobe. Leaves can grow to a meter long supported by a semi-woody sheath acting as a short stalk. Leaves grow more or less in one twisting plane giving it a peacock fan effect which is very architectural in form.

The plant is slow growing and may grow to a meter in 4 years from seed. Easiest propagation method is to detach side shoot and planting them singly. Upright planted cuttings result in one fan while those planted in slanting manner will give 3 to 4 fans in a short while.

Ludovia is one of the neatest plants a gardener can find for landscaping. Aside from its fan-form leaf arrangement, the pleats on the leaf and the lobed margins give it an nteresting characteristic. Insects stay away from the plant. Plant may be planted under full sun or shade.

The plant was introduced outside of America during the late 80’s but was too expensive for ordinary landscape works. Gardeners found out that fruits borne after 4 years give 800 to 3500 seeds tucked under the pistillate scars of the elongated conical fruits. Seeds germinate readily when soaked in water with daily change of fresh water for about 10 days.

Malaysia and Europe are looking for suppliers of leaves for cutfoliage use.