Howea forsteriana
Quick answer
Progressive browning at the tips or margins of older fronds can indicate potassium deficiency. Check watering, roots and nutrition before trimming or feeding. Minor damage that stays stable after these checks can be cosmetic. Do not assume all brown tips are normal.
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How to tell
Tips brown mainly on the side facing a radiator or heater vent. Kentia palm does well at 40–60% humidity, so ordinary room air is rarely the cause on its own.
The fix
Move it away from the heat source. It doesn’t need misting or a humidity tray.
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How to tell
The soil dries out hard between waterings, so the tips (the last to get water) crisp first.
The fix
Water more evenly: check the soil regularly and don’t let it go completely bone dry, then soak thoroughly.
How to tell
Tips brown slowly over months despite even watering, and a white crust builds up on the soil surface or the pot rim. Hard water or fertilizer salts can leave this crust. It does not identify fluoride injury.
The fix
Switch to rainwater or distilled water, and flush the pot occasionally to wash out built-up salts.
How to tell
Dry brown patches or scorched edges show up where strong sun hits the leaf. Kentia palm wants bright, indirect light.
The fix
Move it back from the glass, or filter the strongest sun with a sheer curtain.
How to tell
Progressive browning at the tips or margins of older fronds can indicate potassium deficiency.
The fix
Check watering, roots and nutrition before trimming or feeding. Minor damage that stays stable after these checks can be cosmetic. Do not assume all brown tips are normal.
How to tell
Silvery patches with tiny black dots point to thrips.
The fix
Rinse the plant, cut off the worst leaves and treat in rounds, as the thrips guide explains.
Minor damage that stays stable after these checks can be cosmetic. Do not assume all brown tips are normal.
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