Kentia Palm

How to care for Kentia Palm

Light

Kentia palms grow well in bright, indirect light and are among the most shade-tolerant palms suitable for indoor use. They will adapt to a north-facing room or a position set back from a window, though growth will be slower under low light. Direct summer sun through glass can scorch the fronds, so filter strong light with a sheer curtain if necessary. Rotating the pot a quarter turn every few weeks encourages even growth across all sides of the plant.

Watering

Water thoroughly when the top third of the compost has dried out, allowing any excess to drain freely from the pot. Overwatering is the most common cause of decline; the roots are susceptible to rot if left sitting in waterlogged soil. In winter, when growth slows, reduce watering frequency noticeably. Always use room-temperature water, and if your tap water is heavily chlorinated or very hard, rainwater or filtered water is preferable as Kentia palms can be sensitive to fluoride and salt build-up.

Soil and potting

A free-draining, loam-based compost is ideal, such as John Innes No. 2 or 3 mixed with added perlite or coarse grit at roughly a 3:1 ratio to improve drainage. Kentia palms prefer a slightly acidic to neutral pH, around 6.0 to 7.0. Avoid heavy, moisture-retentive mixes designed for bog plants, as persistent moisture around the roots encourages fungal problems and root rot.

Feeding

During the growing season from April to September, apply a balanced liquid fertiliser at half the recommended strength once a month. A palm-specific fertiliser that includes magnesium and manganese is beneficial, as deficiencies in these micronutrients can cause yellowing or frizzling of fronds. Do not feed during autumn and winter, as the plant is not actively growing and excess nutrients can accumulate as salts in the compost, causing tip burn.

Humidity and temperature

Kentia palms prefer temperatures between 16 and 24 degrees C and should not be exposed to temperatures below about 12 degrees C for any prolonged period. They tolerate average household humidity but perform better when levels are above 50 per cent. Brown leaf tips are often a sign of dry air. Misting the fronds, standing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles, or using a humidifier nearby all help to maintain adequate moisture in the air. Keep the plant away from cold draughts, radiators, and air conditioning vents.

Repotting

Kentia palms are slow-growing and prefer to be slightly pot-bound, so repotting is required only every three to four years, or when roots are clearly escaping from the drainage holes. Move up only one pot size at a time to avoid leaving too much damp compost around the root ball, which increases the risk of rot. The best time to repot is in late spring. Handle the roots gently as damage can set the plant back considerably. Top-dressing with fresh compost each spring in years when repotting is not needed helps to replenish nutrients.

Pruning

Pruning requirements are minimal. Remove only fronds that have turned entirely brown and dry by cutting them cleanly at the base of the stem with sharp, clean secateurs or scissors. Do not cut fronds that are still partially green, as the plant continues to draw nutrients from them until they are fully spent. Avoid cutting into the main trunk or crown, and never remove the central growing tip, as this will kill the palm. Wiping the fronds with a damp cloth periodically to remove dust is beneficial for both appearance and photosynthesis.

Is Kentia Palm toxic?

Common problems

How to propagate

Seed

Kentia palms are propagated commercially from seed, which must be fresh to achieve reasonable germination rates. Seeds should be sown individually in small pots of gritty compost at a temperature of around 25 to 27 degrees C, and germination can take anywhere from three months to over a year, making home propagation a slow and somewhat uncertain process.

Division of clustered plants

Plants that have been grown with multiple seedlings in a single pot, as is common commercial practice to give a fuller appearance, can occasionally be divided at repotting time. Gently tease apart the root systems and pot each section separately, though this approach is likely to cause significant stress and is not generally recommended unless the plants are clearly separable without heavy root damage.

Where Kentia Palm comes from

Native to Lord Howe Island (Australia, South Pacific).

Story and origins

The genus name Howea honours Lord Howe Island, the palm's sole native habitat, which was itself named after Richard Howe, a British Admiral, by Lieutenant Henry Lidgbird Ball when the island was discovered by Europeans in 1788. The species epithet forsteriana commemorates Johann Georg Adam Forster, the German-British naturalist who sailed with Captain James Cook on his second voyage to the Pacific in the 1770s, although Forster himself never visited Lord Howe Island. The common name Kentia derives from the old scientific genus name Kentia, which was formerly applied to several Australian and Pacific palms before they were reclassified.

Howea forsteriana was formally described to Western science by Hermann Wendland and Oscar Drude in 1875, based on specimens collected from Lord Howe Island. The palm seed trade from Lord Howe Island began in earnest in the late 19th century and became the island's primary export, with seeds shipped to Europe and beyond to supply an enormous demand from nurseries and wealthy households. During the Victorian era the Kentia palm became a powerful symbol of refinement and prosperity in interior decoration, appearing in the homes of European royalty and aristocracy as well as in public venues and at significant events. It is reportedly known to have been present at the lying-in-state of King Edward VII in 1910. Demand declined somewhat in the mid-20th century as fashions changed, but the Kentia palm has never fallen entirely out of favour and remains one of the most popular large indoor palms in the world today.

Varieties to know

Howea forsteriana (standard species)

No widely recognised cultivars exist in commerce; plants sold are essentially the straight species. Multi-stemmed pot displays are achieved by planting several seedlings together rather than by distinct cultivar development.

Fun facts

• Lord Howe Island, the only native habitat of Howea forsteriana, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the palm seed industry there has historically been one of the island's most important economic activities.
• Research published in 2005 suggested that Howea forsteriana and its close relative Howea belmoreana evolved into separate species on Lord Howe Island partly through a process of sympatric speciation, driven in part by differences in the soil chemistry of their preferred habitats, an unusually well-documented case of speciation within a single small island.
• The Kentia palm was enormously fashionable in Victorian and Edwardian Britain and Europe, and it was a common feature of grand hotel lobbies, conservatories, and the drawing rooms of the wealthy throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• The palm grows naturally in the forest understorey of Lord Howe Island, which explains its notable tolerance of low light conditions compared with most other palms.
• Seed harvesting on Lord Howe Island is strictly controlled and the industry is managed sustainably, with seeds collected from wild and cultivated palms by licensed collectors to protect the native population.

Kentia Palm FAQ