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10 September 2010
Howea forsteriana, the Kentia Palm. The Kentia Palm is a beautiful solitary upright palm with arching dark green leaves. It is native to Lord Howe Island east of Australia and can reach a height of 10-20m when grown outdoors. It’s very graceful with a dark green ringed trunk and a brown hessian like thatch around the leaf bases.
Kentia Palms are the most popular indoor palm because of its capability to retain a great appearance in low light situations, air conditioning & tolerance of neglect.
The Kentia Palm grows best in a lightly shaded position (the more indirect light the better) with moist, well drained soil in warm-temperate and subtropical areas. It is able to handle full sun when established but can look ratty compared to those in a sheltered position. It can tolerate light frost for very short periods of time. It is moderately salt tolerant, moderately drought tolerant and is adaptable to a wide variety of soil conditions.
These great indoor palms grow pretty tall in small pots. When growing as a potted specimen, make sure the entire root ball is watered, and allow to dry before rewatering, otherwise rot will occur. If your Kentia Palm develops yellowing tips on the fronds, than yellow speckling & browning you are over watering. Keep fairly dry over winter.
The Kentia Palm is a collector’s palm and a must for every home as a great looking potted feature!
Other common names of Howea forsteriana include: Kentia Palm, Sentry Palm, Thatch Palm
©National Tropical Plant Nursery
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