Kentia Palm - Palmae Howea Fosteriana in a pot.

What You Need to Know About the Kentia Palm – Palmae Howea Fosteriana

The Kentia palm originates from the Lord Howe Islands in the Pacific Ocean, off eastern Australia. It is a tolerant plant, which seems to thrive in a wide range of indoor conditions, and makes a very attractive specimen, particularly as it grows taller, but it does need plenty of room to grow well. The graceful, dark green foliage, borne on tall, straight leaf­stalks, is almost flat in appearance, with the many long leaflets drooping only slightly on each side of the raised midrib.

Size: Height 8 ft. (2.5 m).

Light: Any, except deep shade.

Temperature: Normal room; winter minimum 55°F (12°C).

Moisture: Keep soil thoroughly moist from spring to fall. During the win­ter, apply only enough water to pre­vent the soil from drying out.

Feeding: Use standard liquid fertilizer once a month from spring to fall.

Propagation: Sow fresh seed (rarely produced on indoor plants) at a tem­perature of 80°F (25°C).

Special needs: Wipe the leaves peri­odically with tepid water to remove build-up of dust.