Kentia palm

Sun

Partial shade outdoors; established, acclimatised palms tolerate full sun in mild coastal climates. Indoors, provide bright, indirect light.

Water

Water thoroughly, then let the surface soil begin to dry before watering again. Keep the root ball lightly moist rather than wet, and reduce watering in winter.

Soil

Well-drained soil with organic matter; in containers, use a free-draining potting mix and a pot with drainage holes.

Height

20-40 ft (6-12 m) outdoors, occasionally taller; usually 6-10 ft (1.8-3 m) indoors

Spread

10-15 ft (3-4.6 m) outdoors; usually 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) indoors

Foliage

Evergreen. Long, arching, dark green fronds with narrow, drooping leaflets. Each palm has one trunk; pots containing several stems usually hold several separate seedlings.

Growth

Slow, especially indoors

Care needed

Low

• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2.2 m)

3. After 2 years

   8 ft (2.4 m)

4. After 3 years

   9 ft (2.7 m)

5. After 5 years

   10 ft (3.1 m)

About 32 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Check moisture before watering; empty saucers and cachepots after excess water has drained.
• Feed outdoor palms with a slow-release palm fertiliser containing micronutrients during the growing season, following the label.
• Feed indoor plants lightly during spring and summer; do not feed plants that are not actively growing.
• Mulch outdoor soil to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of the trunk.
• Repot only when roots fill the container, moving up one pot size and disturbing the roots as little as possible.
• Acclimatise plants gradually to brighter outdoor light and bring container plants under cover before cold nights.

Pruning. Remove fully brown fronds at any time, cutting the leaf stalk close to the trunk without damaging it. Leave green or partly green fronds in place, and never cut the central growing point or shorten the trunk.

Spring

Check drainage and repot only if the container is crowded with roots.

Spring

Begin light feeding as new growth resumes.

Early summer

Move indoor plants outside only when nights are reliably warm; start in sheltered shade.

Summer

Check soil moisture regularly and inspect leaf undersides for mites and scale.

Autumn

Bring container plants into a bright, frost-free position before cold weather.

Winter

Water less often, avoid cold draughts and keep foliage away from heaters.

• Use as a single specimen in a sheltered courtyard, allowing room for the arching crown.
• Plant a loose group in a frost-free garden above shade-tolerant foliage plants for a layered canopy.
• Place in a large container beside a sheltered entrance or terrace for year-round structure.
• Use indoors in a bright corner with enough clearance to keep the fronds away from walls and walkways.

Garden styles it suits: Modern tropical, Coastal, Modern courtyard, Mid-century modern, Victorian and Architectural minimal.

Plant it with: Cast iron plant, Bird's nest fern, Clivia, Liriope and Bromeliads.

Wildlife: Mature outdoor palms can provide shelter and perching places for birds. Flowering and fruiting are uncommon indoors.

• Spider mites cause fine stippling, dull leaves and sometimes webbing: rinse foliage, including leaf undersides, and treat persistent infestations with a labelled insecticidal soap.
• Scale insects and mealybugs leave bumps, cottony deposits or sticky honeydew: isolate container plants, wipe off small infestations and use a labelled treatment if needed.
• Root rot causes yellowing and decline in persistently wet soil: improve drainage, empty standing water and allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings.
• Brown tips or scorched patches can follow drying out, fertiliser salt buildup or sudden strong sun: check moisture, flush freely draining pots occasionally and increase light exposure gradually.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is recognised as poisonous, but the leaves and fruit are not intended as food.

• Belmore sentry palm (Howea belmoreana)

  Its fronds are more upright and strongly curved, with leaflets held in a more pronounced V; Kentia palm has a looser, more spreading crown.

• Golden cane palm (Dypsis lutescens)

  It naturally forms clumps of yellowish canes and has denser, finer foliage; Kentia palm has one trunk per plant.

• Majesty palm (Ravenea rivularis)

  It has a denser, more upright crown with many closely spaced leaflets; Kentia palm generally has fewer, more widely spaced and drooping leaflets.

The genus name Howea refers to Lord Howe Island, the palm's native home.

Propagation. Grow from fresh seed in a warm, humid propagator with a free-draining medium. Germination is slow and irregular, often taking several months or longer; this single-trunked palm cannot be propagated by cuttings or division.

Accepted botanical name

Howea forsteriana

Native range

Norfolk Is..

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.