Plants
Kentia Palm
Howea forsteriana · Palmengewächse (Arecaceae)
The Kentia palm is arguably the most elegant of all indoor palms: upright, feathery in growth and with gracefully arching fronds that instantly make any room feel calmer and larger. It is remarkably undemanding and even tolerates the shadier corners where other plants give up. At Fleura we have valued it for decades as the plant that stays beautiful for years without any drama.
- Light
- Bright to semi-shaded with indirect light, no harsh midday sun. Tolerates lower-light spots better than most palms.
- Watering
- Water roughly every five days in summer and every ten days in winter, always after the top layer of soil has dried. Avoid waterlogging and provide slightly higher humidity.
- Care level
- Easy
- Botanical
- Howea forsteriana
Botanically the Kentia palm is called Howea forsteriana and belongs to the palm family (Arecaceae). It grows wild only on Australia's Lord Howe Island and has been shipped around the world from there since the 19th century. A close relative is the slightly more compact Howea belmoreana, the curly palm, whose fronds arch more strongly.
In interior planting and floristry the Kentia is a classic for grand gestures: as a solitaire in a bright stairwell, as a green room-divider group in a shop, or as a calm backdrop for event decoration. Its fronds are also cut and used as long-lasting foliage, yet it truly comes into its own as a living plant over many years.
Quality shows in a dense, even build of fronds, strong dark-green leaves without brown tips, and several stems per pot that give the palm its full silhouette. Weak stock is often sparsely planted and yellows quickly. When buying at the Veiling Rhein-Maas we deliberately look for well-rooted, multi-stemmed specimens in A1 quality that last accordingly long.
Stylistically the Kentia fits beautifully into bright, pared-back interiors in boho, mid-century or colonial style. It pairs harmoniously with lower green plants such as ferns or calatheas at its base and looks especially refined in plain terracotta or basket containers. A single large Kentia often replaces an entire plant arrangement.
Care
- 01Bright to semi-shaded position, but without direct midday sun, which can scorch the fronds. The Kentia tolerates north-facing spots better than most palms.
- 02Water roughly every five days in summer and only every ten days in winter, always once the top layer of soil has dried out. Avoid waterlogging at all costs; the root ball should never sit in water.
- 03The palm dislikes dry heated air. Mist occasionally with low-lime water or place a tray of expanded clay and water nearby to prevent brown tips.
- 04Feed monthly with a balanced green-plant or palm fertiliser from spring to late summer, and do not feed in winter.
- 05Only repot when the pot is visibly rooted through, usually every two to three years. The Kentia grows slowly and does not like its roots disturbed too often.
- 06Trim brown fronds or tips with clean scissors and dust the leaves now and then with a damp cloth, which keeps the stomata clear and the palm healthy.
Frequently asked
- Is the Kentia palm toxic to cats, dogs or children?
- No. According to the ASPCA the Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) is non-toxic to cats and dogs and is considered harmless to humans as well. It is therefore one of the few large houseplants that fit easily into a home with pets and children. Only large amounts of swallowed plant material may cause mild stomach upset, as with any plant.
- How much light does the Kentia palm need?
- It is happiest in a bright spot with indirect light, for example near an east-, west- or north-facing window. It should not receive harsh direct sun, as this scorches the fronds. Conveniently, the Kentia copes with markedly less light than most other palms and therefore looks good even in dimmer corners of a room.
- Why does my Kentia palm get brown tips?
- Brown frond tips are almost always a sign of air that is too dry, hard tap water or irregular watering, and less often of waterlogging. The remedy is even watering, low-lime water and a little more humidity, especially next to a radiator in winter. Dried tips can be carefully trimmed at an angle, without cutting into the green tissue.
- How fast does a Kentia palm grow and how large does it get?
- The Kentia is a very slow-growing palm and usually adds only a few new fronds per year indoors. That is exactly what makes it so easy-care and long-lived. Indoors it reaches two to three metres in height over many years while staying slender and elegant. With a little patience, a single plant brings joy for decades.