How to care for kentia palm (Howea forsteriana)

Howea forsteriana · Thatch palm, Palm court palm, Forster sentry palm

Kentia palm (Howea forsteriana) — a single-stemmed palm from Lord Howe Island with arching, dark-green, feather-shaped leaves up to 1.5 m long; it reaches about 2 m indoors and seldom flowers under glass. Kentia palm needs partial shade. Water it about every 7 days while it grows and about every 14 days in the winter rest.

Checked against sources: November 5, 2026

Watering and repotting kentia palm through the year

It lives indoors all year, so it has no sowing or planting dates: it grows from March to September and rests from October to February (the other way round in the southern hemisphere).

Repot it about every 24 months.

When to plant kentia palm?

Plant or repot kentia palm in spring, as it starts into growth; early to midsummer also works. It is a houseplant, so it has no outdoor planting date and no frost decides it: just avoid autumn and winter, when growth slows and fresh compost stays wet too long. After that, move it to a slightly larger pot about every two years, or sooner once roots circle the pot or grow through the drainage holes.

Watering in the growing and resting halves of the year: Watering and repotting kentia palm through the year.

Sources: RHS: How to repot a plant · Penn State Extension: Repotting houseplants

Quick facts

Type	Houseplant
Latin name	Howea forsteriana
Family	Arecaceae
Also called	Thatch palm, Palm court palm, Forster sentry palm
Light	Partial shade
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Repotting	every 24 months
Grown in	At home

Kentia palm care by growth stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 28 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 42 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 56 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 70 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 84 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 98 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 112 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 126 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 140 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 154 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 168 days into the stage
Winter rest	every 14 days	—	—

Growing notes

Light

Bright indirect light, but it copes with fairly low light away from windows; move it to a brighter spot in winter. Direct sun through glass scorches the leaves.

Soil

Well-drained, humus-rich potting mix that does not dry out completely; RHS suggests loam-based compost with composted bark and leaf mould added.

Care

Keep the winter night temperature at 16 °C or above and away from radiators and draughts. In summer water so that the compost never dries out, without letting the pot stand in water; in winter let the surface dry slightly. Feed fortnightly from April to mid-September with a general-purpose liquid fertiliser, but not for six to eight weeks after potting. Mist if the room is heated, sponge dust off the leaves, and cut old leaves off rather than pulling them. Repot every two years in early spring if pot-bound, until it is in a 20–30 cm pot. Browning tips on older leaves can mean potassium deficiency; watch for spider mites, thrips and scale insects. Non-toxic to cats and dogs.

Pests and diseases of Kentia palm

2 problems are recorded for kentia palm; each has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Pests

Other plants of the Arecaceae family

Kentia palm belongs to Arecaceae; 4 other plants of this family have a guide here.

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Houseplants · Houseplants for shade · Houseplants safe for cats and dogs

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.