brown tips on Kentia Palm
Quick answer
If your Kentia Palm has brown tips, the most likely cause is: Brown leaf tips on Howea forsteriana are most often a symptom of low humidity combined with underwatering or cold growing conditions, because the kentia palm comes from a humid Lord Howe Island habitat and its leaflets lose moisture faster than the roots can replace it when the surrounding air is dry.
Start here:
- 1. Mist the leaves regularly with tepid water or stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles to keep humidity around the fronds.
- 2. Trim off the brown tips with scissors, cutting only the dead tissue and avoiding cutting into the still-green healthy part of the leaflet.
Why Kentia Palm gets brown tips
Howea forsteriana
Brown leaf tips on Howea forsteriana are most often a symptom of low humidity combined with underwatering or cold growing conditions, because the kentia palm comes from a humid Lord Howe Island habitat and its leaflets lose moisture faster than the roots can replace it when the surrounding air is dry.
How to reverse brown tips on Kentia Palm
- 1
Mist the leaves regularly with tepid water or stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles to keep humidity around the fronds.
- 2
Trim off the brown tips with scissors, cutting only the dead tissue and avoiding cutting into the still-green healthy part of the leaflet.
- 3
Water moderately in summer and sparingly in winter so the soil stays just moist, and keep the plant in good light away from cold draughts and sudden temperature drops.
Keep brown tips off this Kentia Palm
Maintain moderate humidity, avoid letting the compost dry out completely, and keep Howea forsteriana away from cold draughts and radiator heat so the leaflet tips stay turgid.