The Kentia palm’s (Howea forsteriana) slender trunks and brilliant inexperienced fronds make it a preferred houseplant. However these crops aren’t at all times inexperienced. Should you discover your palm’s fronds slowly shedding their inexperienced luster or shortly turning yellow, figuring out the reason for discoloration is step one. I’ll cowl some widespread the reason why Kentia palms are turning yellow.
1) Overwatering
Let’s face it: we’ve all overwatered a houseplant at the least as soon as. Overwatering comes from a spot of excellent intentions, however it could result in an sad plant.
Should you water your Kentia palm too typically, the soil will stay moist for longer than it ought to. Because the crops’ roots sit in moist soil, they could develop root rot. Meaning they gained’t have the ability to correctly take up water, full gasoline trade, or soak up vitamins.
In case your palm has developed root rot, you may additionally discover signs corresponding to wilted leaves and stunted development.
The answer to overwatering is straightforward: lower the quantity you water! A superb rule of thumb is to water your palm when the highest two to 3 inches of soil is dry.
2) Underwatering
That’s proper, underwatering may result in yellow leaves. Whereas Kentia palms can sometimes go two or three weeks with out water, constantly underwatering your palms can result in wilted, crispy, and discolored leaves.
In case your palm doesn’t have entry to sufficient water, you’ll doubtless discover the guidelines flip yellow after which brown. This discoloration can finally unfold to the whole frond.
Do not forget that environmental elements affect the perfect watering schedule. Excessive warmth, low humidity, and brilliant mild all enhance your plant’s water wants.
One solution to test if it is advisable to water your palm is to stay your finger into the highest two inches of the soil. If it’s dry, water. Be sure that to completely saturate the soil once you water.
3) Poorly Draining Soil
Like most palms, Kentia palms choose well-draining soil that enables extra water to flee. A correct potting combine ought to maintain slightly moisture however let most water exit by means of the pot’s drainage holes.
Should you use a potting combine that doesn’t present sufficient drainage, your plant’s roots will sit in moist soil. Over time, the roots might change into soggy or develop a fungal an infection generally known as root rot. Each of those are worrying occasions and may trigger plant leaves to change into yellow.
The easiest way to treatment poorly draining soil is to repot your palm utilizing a greater draining combine. A potting combine that’s specifically designed for palms is a superb possibility.
You can too use a regular houseplant potting combine and add a couple of further handfuls of perlite or sand. Each of those supplies will enhance drainage.
4) A Lack of Vitamins
Kentia palms aren’t heavy feeders, which means they don’t want tons of vitamins to stay wholesome. Nonetheless, these long-lived crops will finally present indicators of nutrient deficiency in the event that they don’t obtain the mandatory fertilizer.
An absence of nitrogen, magnesium, and manganese can all trigger yellowing fronds.
Should you assume your palm lacks vitamins, you’ll be able to apply a low-dose fertilizer. Each granular fertilizers and liquid merchandise (by way of Amazon) can work properly.
The easiest way to stop a nutrient deficiency is to use fertilizer frequently. Apply a small dose of fertilizer each month from the spring by means of the center of the summer season.
5) Low Temperature
Kentia palms are native to Australia. Though they like heat temperatures, they will tolerate temperatures that dip a couple of levels under freezing.
That stated, a sudden drop in temperature or extended publicity to temperatures under 50°F can result in stress. This will likely end in yellowing leaves.
Do your finest to maintain your palm in an space that continues to be between 60–90°F. And ensure to keep away from sudden modifications in temperature and chilly drafts.
6) Too A lot Direct Mild
Kentia palms like loads of mild however don’t like publicity to direct rays. Should you sit your plant close to a south-facing window or all of the sudden transfer it to a location that receives direct mild, the chums can change into scorched.
Publicity to direct mild sometimes results in leaves that all of the sudden flip yellow. Should you discover your leaves are scorched, transfer them to an space with out direct mild.
7) Not Sufficient Mild
However, too little mild can be an issue! Kentia palms should not nice crops for low-light areas; they’re not afraid to let you understand this.
Should you stick them in a dim nook or room with out home windows, the crops will doubtless change into stunted and finally develop yellow leaves. The answer? Transfer your palm to a brighter space!
Strive inserting your plant close to a west-facing or east-facing window or a couple of ft away from a south-facing window. You can too tuck in the course of a well-lit room.
Do not forget that Kentia palms choose oblique mild to direct mild, so attempt to maintain your plant out of direct rays. If in case you have the right spot close to brilliant home windows, slowly acclimate your palm to this brilliant space over time.
8) Plant Is Rootbound
Kentia palms can develop as much as 40 ft tall outside, however they sometimes stay below eight ft tall once they’re grown indoors. Because the palms’ trunks and fronds develop, so do the roots.
Retaining your plant in the identical pot for years can result in a rootbound plant. When crops change into rootbound, they expertise stress and will have problem taking over water and vitamins. These elements can result in yellow leaves.
Repotting your palm will assist stop and repair points that include it being rootbound. Should you discover roots rising out of the underside of the planter, it’s time to repot. You can too comply with a schedule repot your Kentia palm each three to 4 years.
While you repot, select a container that could be a few inches bigger than the unique and use recent potting combine. Do not forget that repotting is a worrying course of, so your plant might seem limp or discolored within the weeks after you repot it.
9) Change in Location
Transferring your plant to a brand new location may cause stress. Should you moved to a brand new residence or simply relocated your palm from one room to a different, your plant is probably going coping with totally different temperatures and/or mild.
After you progress your plant, give it a couple of weeks to regulate to its new surroundings. Keep away from overwatering and overfertilizing, and simply let your plant be.
Should you don’t see your plant perk again up in a couple of weeks, you’ll be able to start to research if there are issues with the plant’s new residence.
10) Too A lot Fertilizer
Whereas Kentia palms want varied vitamins to thrive, making use of an excessive amount of fertilizer can result in fertilizer burn and/or a buildup of salts. Each of those may end up in yellowing leaves.
Should you assume you added an excessive amount of fertilizer, you’ll be able to try to water your plant and wash out the fertilizer. Another choice is to repot your plant in recent potting soil.
Nonetheless, a greater possibility is to keep away from making use of an excessive amount of fertilizer within the first place! Bear in mind to solely fertilize your palm within the spring and fall and comply with product directions to find out the correct dose.
Kentia Palm Leaves Turning Yellow – Wrapping Up
In case your Kentia palm’s fronds have modified from vibrant inexperienced to yellow, one thing is awry. Improper surroundings, an excessive amount of water, and sudden modifications can all result in discolored leaves. After you’ve identified the reason for the yellow leaves, you’ll be able to work to treatment the issue.
For extra, see our in-depth information to Kentia palm care at residence and the finest sorts of potted palm timber.
Briana holds a B.S. in Plant Sciences from Penn State College. She manages a small market backyard the place she grows greens and herbs. She additionally enjoys rising flowers and houseplants at residence.
