Howea forsteriana

Kentia palm make an easygoing houseplant for mid-range lit areas of your home. They tolerate a splash of direct sun deeper in a room or passing sun during the day, but too much direct sun will yellow, or, worse, burn the leaves.

Wipe dust from the leaves every month or so to keep them looking fresh and prevent pests.

The lower the light level it's grown in, the more care you should take with watering. While it will need less water in low light, it cannot dry out completely. Too much water will rot the plant. If you find lower fronds dying at a fast rate, it may be getting too dry.

The quintessential Victorian-era houseplant looks perfect in spaces ranging from contemporary to historic.

In mild coastal areas of California from Stinson Beach and Bolinas (Marin County) southward, you can place your kentia palm outside in a shady spot in the garden. Some older plants may have started life as a houseplant and been transferred to the garden when they got too big.

This species was one of the earliest and most popular houseplants in the Victorian era, a favorite of Queen Victoria herself.

Its native home 370 miles east of Australia, Lord Howe Island, is a tiny (~6 square miles), mountainous subtropical island that is also home to three other endemic palm species (Howea belmoreana, Hedyscepe canterburyana, Lepidorrhachis mooreana).

For many years the export of seeds and seedlings of this plant were the mainstay of the island's economy. Nowadays it's a popular ecotourism destination and showcase for natural preservation and restoration.