Pronunciation: HOW-ee-uh for-stir-ee-ANN-uh
Common Name: Kentia Palm, Paradise Palm
Howea forsteriana is one of the most commonly grown palms in the US, including southern California, where it not only performs very well as a tall specimen plant and canopy palm, but as a excellent indoor palm as well. These are among some of the most versatile palms one can grow in California. These have a unique, lazy, tropical look with their lax leaflets and irregularly green ringed trunks.
Appearance and Biology
- Habit: Solitary with a crown of 16-26 leaves
- Height: 40'
- Trunk: single; 8" in diameter with a flare/foot at the bottom; green with irregular rings
- Crownshaft: none
- Spread: 10'-16'
- Leaf Description: pinnate; with leaflets lax in mature palms, though less so in juveniles; deep green; leaflets lined with several ridges; 6'-10' long; gently arching away from center
- Petiole/Leaf bases: 2' long, smooth and unarmed; unsplit leaf bases-never retained on trunk
- Reproduction: monoecious
- Inflorescence: 3' long, pendulous with several closely spaced branches; white flowers
- Fruit: 1.5" long, oblong with pointed ends; green to red when ripe
- Seed:
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Horticultural Characteristics
- Minimum Temp: 26F
- Drought Tolerance: moderate
- Dry Heat Tolerance: moderate to poor
- Wind Tolerance: moderate
- Salt Tolerance: low
- Growth Rate: slow to moderate with age
- Soil Preference: widely adaptable
- Light Requirement: full sun to full shade
- Human Hazards: none
- Disease or Horticultural Problems: rare cases of 'leaning Howea syndrome'
- Transplants?: somewhat tolerant as adult; easy as juvenile
- Indoor?: excellent- possibly the best indoor palm there is
- Availability: very common, though large plants still quite pricey
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