Howea forsteriana , the Kentia palm , thatch palm , ribbon motor lodge decoration , Sentry medallion or nirvana palm tree is a species of flowering plant in the palm family , Arecaceae . It hails from the lush rainforests of Lord Howe Island in Australia . It is also widely grow on Norfolk Island in the South Pacific Ocean , but flourish indoors in many part of the world . It is a comparatively slow - farm palm , finally growing up to 10 m tall by 6 m wide .
The Kentia Palm is a depressed - upkeep plant that ’s sluttish to care for . It prefers shiny , collateral lighting and temperatures between 65 ° atomic number 9 and 85 ° atomic number 9 . Just like us humans , it enjoys a morsel of humidity , so range it on a bag of moist pebbles or mist it a few times a calendar week can work wonders .
The Kentia Palm can be arise from seminal fluid , but it ’s a bit of a sluggish process . The seeds postulate to be soaked in affectionate pee and then sown in a well - run out soil in fond shade at a temperature between 85 and 104 ° F . Its fronds can attain 3 thou ( 10 ft ) long .
As potted plant Kentias are fairly broad of neglect : they can withstand low - light conditions , low humidness , infrequent watering and nerveless temperature . However , it is advisable to give Kentias bright , indirect luminousness to encourage outgrowth and a more robust appearance ; Kentias post in sullen corners with little natural luminousness lean to look leggy and grow very slowly . In the northern cerebral hemisphere , a northern or northeastern windowpane is estimable , as greenhouse - grown Kentias can not abide direct sun and will burn if commit in such an exposure
History
This medal is a bit of a celebrity in the plant humankind , having been a popular houseplant in the UK since Victorian times . It was even considered a status symbol back then , showcased in parlors and draw rooms .
The palm gets its common name from the capital of Lord Howe Island , Kentia , and the genus name , Howea , from the island itself . The species name “ forsteriana ” is after Johann Reinhold Forster and Georg Forster , father and boy , who follow Captain Cook as naturalist on his second voyage to the Pacific in 1772–1775 .
During the Edwardian era , around 4 million seeds were harvested per year on Lord Howe Island to live up to the market place for Kentias . In 1912 , a Judicial Royal Commission was organize in Australia to inquire the cultivation and marketing of the decoration on the island . At the beginning of the twenty-first century , production of Kentia palm seed globally stood at between 30 and 40 million .
Characteristics of Kentia Palm (Howea Forsteriana)
Growing Kentia Palm
When planting a kentia in the ground , break up the soil in an area two times big than the container the kentia was previously grown in . If the soil lack fertility or is poorly enfeeble , working organic topic like well - rotted compost or manure into the planting site so it composes up to 50 per centum of the stain will improve drain and add nutrients to the soil . Plant the kentia so that the part of the thenar where the bow forgather the base system is at the soil surface level . fertilise the works with a obtuse - release fertilizer at the time of planting and supply it with regular water throughout the point of establishment .
When growing in containers , ensure that the container has adequate drain holes and , if necessary , a plate or other grab to receive water under the container . container of any number of fabric prove suitable for kentia cultivation , but stain in pots made of porous fabric like terracotta dry out out much quicker than grunge in plastic container . Kentia does perform well when pot - bound , so opt a durable , impenetrable planter will help oneself to keep the plant from tip off over after several years when it grows large enough to become top - heavy and thus confine the need for replanting . As the kentia develop , however , it will need occasional transplant into slightly larger container .
If planting the kentia directly in the ground out of doors , engraft it at a situation where it will receive fond or full wraith when it is young . The kentia is not salt - patient of and requires protection from frost and high winds . Create and preserve a turfgrass - free gang around the basis of the palm to derogate competitor for water and nutrient with the kentia origin . Kentia grow indoors in containers grow best when they receive bright light but tolerate low - visible radiation conditions .
Commonly Problems That Affect Kentia Palm
Maintenance and Care
The Kentia palm must have a restrained watering schedule ; not too ironic , not too wet . The palm is catch too much water if the fronds are browning with stipple or yellow tips . The Kentia ’s frond will weaken and brown if the thenar is n’t getting enough piss . Mist the ribbon with piddle to remove dust and provide a author of humidity .
Prune the ribbon ’s wry , brown frond close to the trunk and from the bottom up , but do not remove all of them at once . Remove new blooms from the palm if you do n’t want to keep the seeds or yield . feed your outdoor Kentia medal tree doubly a year with a 3 - 1 - 3 mixture of N , phosphorus and K . A commercial bug killer such as malathion , or organic remedy such as insecticidal soap or diluted ammonia will belt down pest such as beetle , mealy bugs and soupcon .
Growing Kentia Palm From Seeds
Seeds from the Kentia palm tree ’s fruit also disseminate the tree . The semen typically spud within three months to several year , and the palm itself grow slowly . Healthy Kentia palm seeds are orangish or reddish in color . Kentia palm fruit can take up to four years to mature . Mature Kentia palm fruit are a pale dark Red River .
-Remove them from the palm and soak them in affectionate water . After several days , pull the fruit off of the ejaculate .
– Clean the seeds so that no fruit residuum remain - it can cause fungi to get . To develop the seeds , either place them in a sealable plastic bag with soil mix or put them in planting tray .
-Water the soil so that the seeds are hydrous , but run out out superfluous wet . Place the bag or planting tray in indirect sun . Temperatures between 65 academic degree Fahrenheit and 75 degrees Fahrenheit will help the sprouting unconscious process .
Transplanting a Mature Kentia Palm
move any mature palm tree can be risky , but good for you Kentia palms with thick , woody trunk are moderately resilient . Transplant palms in the spring or early summertime when the soil is warm . take a location where the palm Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree can grow freely ; it must have ample blank to distribute . comprehend a mess in the ground that is as deep as the tree ’s current container and twice as extensive as the sizing of the palm ’s root ball .
Lift the tree from the bottom , and put it in the maw . Fill the surface area around the roots with grease and give it a couple of inch of water . sum up more soil to fill the hole , and berth mulch around the Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree . Secure the tree if its trunk is bending by placing textile strips around its trunk and impound them to three wooden stakes placed into the ground in a triangular shape .
