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Post by cheerypeabrain on Oct 31, 2007 17:22:20 GMT 1
I've tried (and failed) to grow and keep a Kentia Palm...admittedly the one I had was in the 'bargain basement' and looked pretty poorly when I bought it. Anyone else grown these gorgeous palms successfully?
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Post by 4pygmies on Oct 31, 2007 23:03:32 GMT 1
I've had one for years which has struggled some years and then flourished the next (for no apparent reason). This year I finally gave up and binned it...the winter care is the tricky bit for me - I just haven't anywhere suitable. They are lovely though, I agree.
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Post by madonplants on Nov 1, 2007 0:27:20 GMT 1
I've tried (and failed) to grow and keep a Kentia Palm...admittedly the one I had was in the 'bargain basement' and looked pretty poorly when I bought it. Anyone else grown these gorgeous palms successfully? How are you watering them, they prefer rain water if your tap water is hard? Like most palms they like to be potbound to give of their best. With the hard water theme, they also like ericaseous compost. There was a small one in one of the tax offices I worked in and it looked dreadful. I took it home, repotted it, as it was breaking the pot(!!) and gave it some tender loving care. Within a few weeks, I was able to take it back to work and put it in a better place. Previously it had been kept by a bright window. That is a big NO NO! Some colleagues thought it was a different plant, as it looked green and not yellow. In summer, when it rains, stick them outside for a little while, to clean their leaves off, it does them a power of good. Less water in winter than summer, is the order of the day! Keith |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 26, 2008 21:00:43 GMT 1
Well I went and bought another Kentia Palm today...armed with Madon's advice I've kept it in the pot it was in (sat the plastic pot in a prettier terracotta one ) and stood it out of the way in the back room where it only gets indirect sunlight. It's so lovely I can hardly take my eyes of it.... ;D I can't take a snap atm...as also in the back room we have son's washing on 2 airers..... :  |
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Post by elsie on Jan 27, 2008 15:53:52 GMT 1
When my Son and DIL got married they bought 8 x 6' Kentia palms to stand on plinths in the room where they had their reception.This was 7 years ago. I ended up with 2 of them - I put one in the kitchen and one in the dining-room.The one in the dining-room got a bit too big so I gave it to another son . I still have the one in the dining-room They are lovely plants |
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Post by maggyd on Jan 27, 2008 17:26:53 GMT 1
 This is my palm I have just repotted it this morning! but Im not sure wether it is a coconut palm! a canary date palm! or a kentia!somehow I dont think its a kentia palm as I have had it about 8 years and I dont think it will reach 7'! well it really struggles the poor thing as I keep forgetting to water it! It had its name on it when I took it out to the greenhouse this morning : dont know where it went Teddy probably an off with it! anyway its Gone. |
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Post by elsie on Jan 27, 2008 17:58:49 GMT 1
This is my dining-room Kentia  and this is my baby Kentia in the kitchen  |
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Post by maggyd on Jan 27, 2008 18:11:15 GMT 1
Oh the fronds are much bigger arent they? as I suspected mine isnt a Kentia  its one of the others then.  |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jan 27, 2008 19:12:32 GMT 1
I've got one like yours Maggyd...they're much more delicate looking than the kentia. I dunno what they're called....it might be Neanthe Bella (Parlour Palm) which can reach an adult height of around 2 ft...
whereas the Howea forsteriana (kentia palm) can grow to 8 ft...
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Post by maggyd on Jan 27, 2008 23:06:39 GMT 1
This is my dining-room Kentia and this is my baby Kentia in the kitchen Just an observation Elsie  your pots look a little small for the size of the plant! are you restricting the root so it wont grow any bigger? if not I think you should go a bit bigger ;D hope you dont mind me saying but I am a bit of a busy body with house plants. |
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Post by elsie on Jan 29, 2008 23:26:08 GMT 1
Of course I don't mind you saying Palms don't like to be over-potted so I won't be repotting the baby one this year but I am going to repot the biggest one in the Spring - a bit early yet I do feed them. |
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Post by cheerypeabrain on Jun 19, 2008 20:36:33 GMT 1
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its one of the others then. 
your pots look a little small for the size of the plant! are you restricting the root so it wont grow any bigger? if not I think you should go a bit bigger ;D hope you dont mind me saying but I am a bit of a busy body with house plants.