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Kentia Palm

4.5 out of 5 (79 experiences)

Survivor

Large, lush leaves

About Kentia Palm

The Kentia Palm is a popular houseplant in temperate climates. They are well suited to containers and have a track record for surviving low light, dust, central heating, rough handling, drought, and neglect. Due to their large size, they make a good focal point in an interior or exterior landscape.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Howea forsteriana

Genus

Howea

Family

Arecaceae

Order

Arecales

How to care for Kentia Palm

💦 Water

How often to water your Kentia Palm

Kentia Palm needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Kentia Palm in your home

Kentia Palm may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Kentia Palm in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Kentia Palm

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Kentia Palm: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Kentia Palm after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #KentiaPalm

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Kentia Palm is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Kentia Palm →

Benefits of Growing Kentia Palm →

Indoor Care Guide for Kentia Palm →

Outdoor Care Guide for Kentia Palm →

💦 Water Needs

Kentia Palm prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Kentia Palm Water Frequency →

Kentia Palm Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Kentia Palm may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Kentia Palm Light Requirements →

Kentia Palm Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Kentia Palm is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

💨 Humidity

Kentia Palm doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Kentia Palm Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

Kentia Palm does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Kentia Palm →

Best Pots for Kentia Palm →

When and How to Successfully Repot Kentia Palm →

What Are Healthy Kentia Palm Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Kentia Palm grows very slowly and doesn’t require added fertilizer. Replacing your plant’s potting soil once a year should provide them with more than enough nutrition. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Kentia Palm →

🌎 Native Region

Kentia Palm is native to Lord Howe Island, Australia.

🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Kentia Palm bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

Kentia Palm Flowers →

Is Kentia Palm an Annual Plant? →

Is Kentia Palm a Perennial Plant? →

Kentia Palm Pollination Guide →

Common Kentia Palm Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Kentia Palm grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Kentia Palm Lifecycle →

Kentia Palm Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Kentia Palm →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Kentia Palm can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9b-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Kentia Palm Temperature Tolerance →

Kentia Palm Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Kentia Palm →

When to Plant Kentia Palm →

How to Plant Kentia Palm →

Where to Plant Kentia Palm →

Winter Care for Kentia Palm →

Best Companion Plants for Kentia Palm →

Is Kentia Palm a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Kentia Palm can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Kentia Palm →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Kentia Palm, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Common Bugs Affecting Kentia Palm →

What Eats Kentia Palm? →

Care Summary for Kentia Palm

Kentia Palm

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Survivor 43

Large, lush leaves 42

Fast grower 20

Browns easily 19

Easy to propagate 6

Pest magnet 2

Blooms easily 1

@@Yvette

34 Plants

3,676 XP

Crowborough, England

02/24/2022

Great plant to have to bring a jungle vibe into your home. Easy enough to care for.

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @Yvette named Kentia on Greg, the plant care app.

@@KTplantmama

24 Plants

3,101 XP

River Forest, IL

02/09/2022

I’ve had this plant a few months and it’s not thriving. Don’t know if it’s light, water or humidity. Maybe all three.

Browns easily

Kentia Palm plant photo by @KTplantmama named Hemingway on Greg, the plant care app.

@Paula

13 Plants

613 XP

Bedmond, England

01/13/2022

Beautiful and resilient.

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by Paula named Apollo on Greg, the plant care app.

@@TomT

2 Plants

554 XP

Enfield, England

11/10/2021

Beautiful looking plant. Brings the outdoors indoors with it jungle feel 😄

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @TomT named Palmela on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Paigesimpson3

5 Plants

119 XP

10/29/2021

Low maintenance and beautiful strong plant

Large, lush leaves

Kentia Palm plant photo by @Paigesimpson3 named Madonna on Greg, the plant care app.

@Katya

3 Plants

335 XP

Richmond Hill, Ontario

10/26/2021

Looks beautiful

Kentia Palm plant photo by Katya named Masty on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Nikki1

62 Plants

2,531 XP

Woolwich Township, NJ

09/08/2021

Beautiful Palm Tree and very carefree

Large, lush leaves

Easy to propagate

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @Nikki1 named Kentia on Greg, the plant care app.

@Ayesha

1 Plants

46 XP

Bradford, England

09/01/2021

This makes your home look so fresh and homely, it brings a little bit of exotic to your home as palm trees are associated with the beach… which means relaxation, and a feel of luxury.

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by Ayesha named My Shuna on Greg, the plant care app.

@Charlane

20 Plants

221 XP

Abbeville, LA

08/26/2021

I e wanted a Palm for soo long.. my sweet grandson gave this to me along with two dwarf palms.. in love with this plant

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Kentia Palm plant photo by Charlane named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@@alexcollectsplants

53 Plants

2,322 XP

08/07/2021

I love this plant, first one we got when moving into our new house and it’s great for filling up spaces. I find mine nears regular watering every though it doesn’t get direct sunlight but I just give it a cup every couple of days and trim off brown bits when need be.

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @alexcollectsplants named Percy on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Stephanie0993

3 Plants

238 XP

08/02/2021

My favourite!

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Browns easily

Kentia Palm plant photo by @Stephanie0993 named 6 on Greg, the plant care app.

@@alexandria.lw

18 Plants

275 XP

Davis, CA

07/29/2021

Harder to keep than I thought- very finicky about water- but absolutely beautiful.

Large, lush leaves

Kentia Palm plant photo by @alexandria.lw named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@Martha

4 Plants

215 XP

Manchester, England

07/29/2021

Not the largest leaves but again adds a tropical vibe to the room and I think it looks cool and a bit funky when paired with other types of plants

Large, lush leaves

Easy to propagate

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by Martha named Lebron on Greg, the plant care app.

@@IAmBrandiPerry

18 Plants

569 XP

Akron, OH

07/15/2021

I’m a new plant mommy : This Palm is beautiful and sprouts out new growth rather quickly. Placement near sunlight is important ❤️. Happy Growing

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @IAmBrandiPerry named Majesty on Greg, the plant care app.

@@cincity

2 Plants

54 XP

07/08/2021

easy to overwater and underwater. browns very easily. but somehow- still kickin.

Browns easily

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @cincity named Gretchen on Greg, the plant care app.

@Stuart

3 Plants

51 XP

06/16/2021

Fast grower but don’t let it completely dry out.

Fast grower

Kentia Palm plant photo by Stuart named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@@TwistedThreads

24 Plants

126,370 XP

Oliver Springs, TN

06/15/2021

This my favorite plant of all my plants I have. She is beautiful.

Large, lush leaves

Fast grower

Survivor

Kentia Palm plant photo by @TwistedThreads named Pride n Joy on Greg, the plant care app.

@@_holaholapaola

35 Plants

6,212 XP

Minneapolis, MN

06/14/2021

This Kentia plant started to die on me, it seems I may not have given it enough sunlight and/or I gave it too much water. Since I installed this app, I began a better routing for all my plants and this one seems to be way happier. Just updated the photo 6/14/2021.

Survivor