Kentia questions

[SeaDouble]

Hi everyone,

First I'd like to thank you all for contributing to the valuable resource that this forum has become, in my infancy as a palm enthusiast.

I have recently begun buying a few palms, and I have a few questions about a 15gal double Kentia palm that I have had for a few weeks, and have yet to plant. I bought the palm at Home Depot, for what I think was a good price, but I am becoming concerned about a few things with it. It has been sitting in morning shade, partial midday-afternoon sun on the north side of my house in Santee, CA (10a/9b). I have been keeping the soil in the container moist. I just want to make sure I am not missing some obvious signs of disease before i put it in the ground.

1. There are some brown dead areas on some of the leaves which i assumed was from sunburn from the transition from nursery (likely shadecloth) to more direct sun at HD.

2. There are some yellow/orange areas developing on some, not all of the leaves. Seems like these will turn into the brown dead spots mentioned above. Sun?

3. All of the leaflets on only a few of the fronds are curling longitudinally as you can see in the pics. Only some of the fronds are doing this. Others are normal.

4. The tips of the spears are also browned, which I had assumed also was from sun exposure. One spear (with brown tip) has opened since I have had it, and the leaf looks normal.


Please take a look at the pics and let me know what you think. Thanks for your help!

Edited March 21, 2014 by SeaDouble

[Sabal Steve]

Those look nice. Did you happen to buy those at the Sports Arena location? They had 25 gallons for sale there, for $249 I think.

I threw mine from shade into mostly sun. It did fine, but the leaves did burn a bit. These look best in at least part shade. Others here know better, but I slowly acclimating it to more sun may be best. It may be stressed, as it looks like it's gotten pretty big for its container.

I had a thread a while back related to this - http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/38710-kentia-in-distress/

Welcome

[SeaDouble]

Thanks. I found and read your thread while searching the site. Very helpful.

I got this one at the clairemont location. $88 and has about a foot of trunk.

I thought it seemed overgrown for a 15 gal and wondered if that might be part of it. Thanks.

[Gonzer]

Sunburn

[Tassie_Troy1971]

any kentia will sunburn initially when planted in full sun . Even for me down here in Cool coastal Tasmania they take at least 2 years to aclimate to full sun but once they do the leaves go very droopy and are a lighter green than those grown in full shade . Keep the roots moist and it will be fine !

cheer Troy

[MattyB]

It actually looks like a partially sun grown specimen already, ie not too stretched out. So it's perfect timing to get it in the ground and let it acclimate to full sun. Santee can be hot, so expect continued sunburn for a few years, but if kept moist, and plantedin the ground, it will acclimate.

[bgl]

Hi Corey,

Welcome to PalmTalk! And good luck with your Kentias and hopefully many more palms! Seems like you've already received some helpful information.

Aloha from the Big Island,

Bo-Göran

[Darold Petty]

Welcome to Palmtalk !

[SeaDouble]

Thanks, everyone for the feedback. Glad to confirm that it just looks like sunburn. She 's going in the ground this weekend.

[SeaDouble]

...and thanks for the warm welcome. Aloha!