All you’ll ever need to know about caring for this classic houseplant.
Ah the Kentia Palm, a great all-rounder in the plant world! Despite its tall size and impressive palm-like appearance, it’s as low maintenance and easy care as they come – no wonder so many of us flock to keep them in our homes as they pretty much take care of themselves.
Native to Lord Howe Island in Australia, the Kentia Palm has a regal past and was loved by Queen Victoria who kept them in all of her homes. If it's good enough for royalty, it’s good enough for us! Despite having roots (quite literally!) in the South Pacific, this plant is highly adaptable and will thrive in a variety of conditions, and even neglect – not that we’d recommend that, of course.
plant care
The Kentia Palm likes bright indirect light, but will be happy and healthy in shadier spots, too. In other words, if you’re looking for greenery to brighten up a spot in a dark corridor or hallway, this is the plant for the job. As its natural environment tends to be a warmer climate, regular misting will help the Kentia Palm maintain a high level of humidity and keep its fronds a luscious green shade. And speaking of its foliage, go the extra mile to keep them looking their best by running a damp cloth over them to remove dust and dirt. This also helps the plant to breathe better and absorb more light, too. When it comes to watering, hydrate the Kentia Palm when the top two inches of soil feel dry to touch. The Kentia Palm's leaves will turn brown if the air is too dry or if it needs more water. On the flip side, if you are watering it too frequently, yellow tips may appear on the leaves.
wellbeing benefits
Now that we’ve established how you should care for this plant, here’s how it can care for you – we told you it was a great all-rounder! The Kentia Palm is praised for being a fantastic air purifier, removing toxins such as formaldehyde, ammonia and carbon monoxide from the home, helping you to breathe cleaner and healthier air. For this reason, you could consider keeping the plant in your bedroom to help you sleep better at night. It is also a non-toxic plant, so perfect if you share your home with pets who love to nibble on things they shouldn’t, and children who love to play with things they shouldn’t!
3 quick care tips
- Space, please – Keep the Kentia Palm’s delicate fronds happy by placing somewhere spacious and low-traffic where you won’t brush past and damage it.
- Be patient – While this plant has the potential to be tall it is a slow-grower, eventually reaching around 2-3 metres when kept indoors, so don’t panic if it doesn’t shoot up immediately.
- Shower time – A quick and easy way to remove dirt is to pop your Kentia Palm in the shower with lukewarm water.