Field ManualAll plants

Kentia palm
Howea forsteriana
Pet & Human Safety
People: No hazard foundPets: Not on the ASPCA lists as we read them
Not assessed for pets. A single source, or an ASPCA page plus a bare NC State tag, is not enough to show a plant is safe, so the app makes no pet-safety claim either way.
PlotAndPetal cannot tell you whether a plant you found can be eaten. Only someone who can see the plant can identify it.
Poison control
If someone has collapsed, cannot be woken, is having a seizure or has trouble breathing, call 911 now. For any other possible poisoning, call Poison Help: 1-800-222-1222.
Emergency number source: U.S. federal law (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)(3)), read 2026-10-07.
Naturalist Lore
Historical Background & Breeding Lore
The history of this plant and its name, and how it was bred, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonCare
- Hardiness zones
USDA zones 9b to 11b (NC State).
- Water needs
moderate
- Family
Arecaceae (NC State)
- Where it comes from
Lord Howe Island, between Australia and New Zealand (NC State).
How to prepare the soil, when and what to feed, and how and when to prune where that applies.
Get the app: coming soonAnatomy & Guilds
Botanical Anatomy & Characteristics
How the flowers and leaves are built and which pollinators visit, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonField Doctor
Field Doctor
What can go wrong with this plant and what to do about it, where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonVintage Plates
Vintage Plates
Old botanical drawings from public libraries are in the app, for plants where we have them.
Get the app: coming soonSources
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, Howea forsteriana (Checked October 2026)
- Kew Plants of the World Online - Howea forsteriana (F.Muell.) Becc.
- ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants (Checked October 2026)