The large green fronds of a kentia palm plant can make a statement in any home. Following some essential care tips can ensure your palm tree acts as a focal point of your interior design for years to come. Here is how to take care of a kentia palm plant!
Other Names
- Paradise Palm
- Sentry Palm
What is the Scientific Name?
Howea forsteriana is the scientific name for this plant.
What Soil Works Best for Kentia Palm Plants?
Kentia palm plants can grow well in different soil types, but they prefer sandier, well-draining potting mix. Always place the potting soil in a pot or container with suitable drainage holes.
Can You Use Fertilizer?
You can use a controlled-release fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 3-1-2 for this plant. You should use half as much of the recommendation when you start using fertilizer since you want the plant to ease into this boost in nutrients.
How Much Sun Does a Kentia Palm Plant Need?
The best area in your home to place your kentia palm plant is one with shade and indirect sunlight. Some common places for this plant include a bathroom, bedroom, or living room with low light. Keep your palm tree away from direct sunlight, as the leaves can quickly burn.
What Temperature Works Best for a Kentia Palm Plant?
Paradise palms can survive in a wide range of temperatures from as low as 25 degrees up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal growing condition for an indoor palm tree is around 55 degrees. During warmer months, you may even consider placing your kentia palm outside.
Do Kentia Palm Plants Enjoy Humidity?
Native to the Lord Howe Island in the South Pacific, kentia palm plants do well in humidity. Spraying or misting your plant about once a week can mimic this tropical climate by providing extra moisture to the air. Also, misting the plant removes any dust buildup on the fronds of your palm.
If your house is arid, consider investing in a humidifier or misting your palm tree more often as part of your general kentia palm care. You can also place this plant in a bathroom with a shower to consistently have it in a humid area.
How Often Should You Water a Kentia Palm Plants?
Kentia Palm plants prefer their soil to be wet but never soggy. A good sign that your house plant is ready for watering is if the top inch of soil is dry. However, be careful about overwatering the plant as root rot is common. Yellow leaves are generally a signal that your plant has too much water at the base of the container.
What Size Do Kentia Palm Plants Grow to Typically?
While traditionally slow growers, the long leaves of a kentia palm can grow up to 40 feet high when outside in a tropical climate with high humidity levels. With proper care, indoor kentia palms in a container can grow about 10 to 12 feet.
Kentia palms can produce white flowers, measuring more than three feet wide. After about 15 years, your palm may even yield red, oval fruit.
Most Common Bugs
As with most indoor plants, spider mites and mealybugs are the most common pests you may encounter. To remove them properly, you should avoid pest control products that contain alcohol, as this can dry out the plant leaves. Instead, you should use neem oil or insecticidal soap with a wet paper cloth to gently remove the bugs from the leaves.
Most Common Diseases
Potassium deficiency occurs when the tips of your plant’s older leaves show signs of necrosis. A control release potassium supplement can help prevent additional leaves from drying.
Necrosis on the tips of newer leaves is often a sign of manganese or boron deficiency. You can treat this disease with a supplement as a potassium deficiency.
Root rot can also occur as the result of overwatering. Symptoms of root rot include brown leaves and a yellow stem. If you suspect root rot, you should remove the plant from the container and place it in fresh and dry soil.
Do Kentia Palm Plants Like Coffee Grounds?
Coffee grounds can add phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and nitrogen to the soil, which helps the kentia palm plant grow strong. They also help increase the acidity of the potting soil, which palm trees generally prefer. If you plan to use coffee grounds for this plant, consider investing in a soil testing kit to make sure you don’t go overboard.
How Often Should You Repot Kentia Palm Plants?
Kentia palm plants are slow growers and do not need repotting often. If your plant has grown too large for its current pot, you may consider repotting the plant in a slightly larger pot. You should select a new pot no more than two inches larger, ensuring it has adequate drainage holes.
How Do You Propagate a Kentia Palm Plant?
To start the propagation, you will need to remove the palm tree from its pot and shake off the soil from its roots. Place the root ball under running water, which will help the roots separate from each other. You can then proceed to divide the roots into several sections.
Place the cuttings into fresh potting soil and water. Like regular watering of this plant, you want to keep the new soil moist to stimulate root growth with this fresh cutting.
Conclusion — How to Take Care of a Kentia Palm Plant
In summary, Kentia plant care is pretty straightforward to manage at your home. The biggest thing that will help this plant stay healthy is indirect light and not overwatering it. By giving the plant the right amount of light and water, it can grow to more than 10 feet tall, which can be a fantastic addition to any room in your home or office!
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