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Howea forsteriana

sentry palm

AGM plants

AGM plants have been through a rigorous trial and assessment programme. They are:

  • Excellent for ordinary use in appropriate conditions
  • Available to buy
  • Of good constitution
  • Essentially stable in form & colour
  • Reasonably resistant to pests & diseases
© Dorling Kindersley Ltd
RHS Plant Shop from £34.99 Sold by 5 nurseries

  • Other common names sentry palm
    flat palm

    Forster sentry palm
    Kentia palm
    paradise palm
    thatch-leaf palm

    see more

  • Synonyms Kentia forsteriana

  • Family Arecaceae

  • Genus Howea are evergreen palms with solitary stems bearing large, long-stalked, pinnate leaves composed of linear segments; with small star-shaped flowers borne in pendulous axillary clusters of spikes, followed by small oval fruits

  • Details H. forsteriana is a single-stemmed evergreen palm to 2m in height, with dark green leaves to 1.5m in length, pinnately divided into several narrow segments. Flowers seldom produced under glass

  • Plant range Lord Howe Is., Australia

Characteristics

  • Foliage Evergreen

  • Habit Bushy

  • Hardiness

    Hardiness ratings

    All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

    • H1a - Under glass all year (>15C)
    • H1b - Can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
    • H1c - Can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
    • H2 - Tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
    • H3 - Hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
    • H4 - Hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
    • H5 - Hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
    • H6 - Hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
    • H7 - Hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

    H1A

Colour

Sunlight

  • Partial Shade

  • Aspect North-facing or East-facing

  • Exposure Sheltered

Soil

  • Loam

    Loam

  • MoistureWell-drained

  • SoilLoam

  • pHAcid, Neutral

Size

  • Ultimate height 8-12 metres

  • Ultimate spread 4-8 metres

  • Time to ultimate height 20-50 years

How to grow

Cultivation Grow under glass in a loam-based compost with equal parts added of composted bark and leaf mould, in bright light but with protection from the sun. Water moderately and provide moderate humidity when in growth and apply a liquid fertiliser monthly during the summer. Water sparingly in winter

Propagation Propagate by seed sown at not less than 19ºC

Suggested planting locations and garden types Architectural Patio & Container Plants

How to care

Pruning No pruning required

Pests Can get glasshouse red spider mite, thrips and scale insects under glass

Diseases Generally disease free

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Howea forsteriana

sentry palm

Buy from £34.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

Buy from £34.99 at the RHS Plants Shop

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