Hawaiian Kentia Palm

Light Needs

Mature Height

40 Feet outdoors; 12 Feet indoors

Mature Spread

10-20 Feet

Growing Zones

9 to 11

Hawaiian Kentia Palm adds height, green structure, and graceful arching fronds to rooms that need a polished tropical energy. This slow-growing Howea forsteriana, also called Kentia Palm, Thatch Palm, Howea Palm, and Forster Sentry palm, can mature indoors around 6 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide with time. Compared with areca palms often used for a similar look, kentias have broader leaflets and a more refined, upright presence. Our designers often recommend it for spaces where a plant needs to look substantial but not crowded or messy.

Best Locations For Growing Hawaiian Kentia Palm

Grow Hawaiian Kentia Palm in a living room, bedroom, entry, office, or large kitchen where its fronds have room to arch without brushing walls or walkways. It is also a good choice for reception areas, open lofts, and bright corners, especially when placed in a decorative container with drainage. Kentia palm is not considered poisonous to pets or children, though chewing the fronds can still upset a stomach or damage the plant.

Hawaiian Kentia Palm Sunlight Requirements

Hawaiian Kentia Palm grows best in bright, indirect light, such as near an east-facing window or several feet back from a south- or west-facing window. It can tolerate lower light better than many indoor palms, but growth will be slower and the fronds may stretch. Avoid strong direct afternoon sun, which can scorch greenhouse-grown foliage.

Hawaiian Kentia Palm Care

Plant Hawaiian Kentia Palm in a well-draining palm or houseplant potting mix with some organic matter in a container that has drainage holes. Repot only when the plant is root bound, moving up just one pot size because kentia palms dislike root disturbance. Trim off fully brown fronds at the base with clean pruners, but leave yellowing fronds in place until they dry since the plant may still be using stored nutrients.

Watering Hawaiian Kentia Palm

Water thoroughly when the top inch or two of soil feels dry until excess drains from the bottom of the pot. Average indoor humidity is usually acceptable, but the plant benefits from occasional misting or a nearby humidifier in dry heated rooms.

Feeding Hawaiian Kentia Palm

Feed Hawaiian Kentia Palm with a palm fertilizer or balanced houseplant fertilizer in spring and summer, following the product label for rate and frequency. Light feeding supports steady frond production and helps prevent nutrient deficiencies that can show as yellowing or brown leaflet tips.

SKU:

PAL-PAL-HKN-LGL