10 Amazing Uses and Benefits of Kentia Palms
Kentia palms (Howea forsteriana) are popular houseplants due to their thin, green fronds and durable nature. However, these plants can do more than just brighten up your home! Keep reading to learn some of the uses and benefits of Kentia palms.
10 Amazing Uses and Benefits of Kentia Palms:
1) Kentia Palms Can Increase Atmospheric Oxygen
All plants complete photosynthesis, a process in which plants use energy from the sun to convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen, water, and sugar. While the plants’ main goal is to produce sugars, humans can benefit from the oxygen byproduct.
While plants absorb carbon dioxide and emit oxygen, humans do the opposite. We need oxygen to complete essential processes such as cellular respiration. If we don’t have access to enough oxygen, we can become tired, exhausted, and ill.
If you live with a disease requiring supplemental oxygen, adding plants to your home probably won’t solve your health issues. However, plants like Kentia palms will increase the amount of oxygen in your home.
2) Kentia Palms are Easy to Care for Houseplants
One of the most popular ways to use Kentia palms is as decorative houseplants. Not only are they lush and calming, but they’re also easy to maintain.
These plants can survive in various places with indirect lighting, including the interior of a bright room and a location in front of a north-facing window. That means most homes, coffee shops, and offices have a spot that can happily hose a Kentia palm.
Kentia palms are also quite forgiving when it comes to watering. They don’t like sitting in wet or bone-dry soil but can tolerate just about anything in between. If you choose a well-draining soil, you can get away with watering this palm anywhere from once every one to three weeks.
These plants can also tolerate a variety of temperatures. While they prefer things on the warmer side, they can survive brief periods of freezing temperatures.
Finally, they thrive in average household humidity. Many tropical houseplants require high humidity to remain happy, but Kentia palms grow just fine in low to average humidity.
3) Can Help Reduce Stress
You might have heard about plants’ abilities to reduce stress and anxiety. And it turns out this information is rooted in science!
One study investigated people hanging out in a place known for high stress: a hospital. Researchers separated patients into two groups. One group had plants in their rooms, and the second group did not.
Results showed that individuals who had plants in their rooms experienced less stress. Therefore, placing a Kentia palm in your room can help reduce stress.
Another study investigated the impact that working with plants has on stress levels. Groups of participants were assigned to complete a plant-related task or a computer-related task. Then, the groups switched tasks.
Participants were less stressed after they worked with the plants. Therefore, spending time pruning, propagating, or watering your Kentia palm may help reduce your stress levels.
4) Use in Feng Shui
Kentia palms can be a valuable part of Feng Shui, the practice of arranging objects in space to create balance.
One of the most important parts of Feng Shui is understanding the Bagua map. This map lays out the energy in a space like a room or house and helps you determine where to place certain items.
Since the Kentia palm is a vibrant plant with long fronds, it can help bring positivity into a space. That means you may want to place it in the corner of a room related to love and marriage if you want your relationships to grow. Or, you can place it in the opposite corner if you want your knowledge to expand.
For more, see our in-depth guide on where to position Kentia palms for optimal care and feng shui benefits.
5) It Can Help Improve Focus and Concentration
If you’re like most people, you know it can sometimes be difficult to focus. You may have tried herbal teas, a 15-minute nap, or classical music. But have you thought about adding plants to your workspace?
Well, maybe you should!
Plants like Kentia palms can help calm our minds and encourage us to focus. One study investigated the impact of live plants on preteens by comparing live plants with artificial plants, photos of plants, and no plants.
Researchers found that children who looked at live plants improved both attention and concentration. Plus, the living plants made students feel more comfortable in their environments.
6) Kentia Palms are Safe for Pets
There are lots of different houseplants available, but not all are safe for pets like cats and dogs. Kentia palms are non-toxic to dogs and cats, so you can add them to your home without worry.
That’s not to say you should encourage your pets to eat your plants. However, they won’t be in serious danger if they do.
7) Brighten Indoor Spaces
Kentia palms are large houseplants, which means they are perfect for filling up blank corners and open floor plans. Their reaching fronds help create a relaxing space while also bringing calm energy.
But just because these plants grow tall, it doesn’t mean you need to put them in large spaces. You can also tuck them into entryways, bedroom corners, and offices.
8) Kentia Palms May Help Improve Productivity
Whether you’re spending time on a work project or trying to keep your home and personal life in order, it can be hard to get things done. Sometimes, it seems that no matter how hard we try to focus, we just can’t cross off the tasks on our to-do lists.
Reaching for a cup of coffee or completing some exercise are two common options, but they’re not the only ones. Adding plants to your home may also help increase your productivity.
One study showed that adding plants to your workspace may increase productivity. More specifically, the study reported that individuals who completed a task in the presence of live plants experienced 12% greater productivity compared to those who did the task in a room without plants.
So, if you’re having difficulty getting things done, try placing a Kentia palm in your room or sitting in your plant-filled sunroom.
9) Weaving and Thatching
You can use Kentia palm fronds to weave items, including baskets, crosses, and squares. Palms fronds are especially important during the Christian holiday Palm Sunday.
You can also use entire Kentia palm fronds to create thatched roofs on outdoor structures. Hence the common name thatch palm.
10) Shade Trees
Kentia palms are great houseplants but can also be grown outdoors in warm areas. These plants can grow into small to medium trees as long as you plant them in well-draining soil in a warm climate.
Therefore, Kentia palms can serve as shade trees in warm areas. Since they are drought-tolerant and can survive in various soil types, they grow well in many areas.
Kentia Palm Benefits – Wrapping Up
Kentia palms, also known as sentry palms or thatch palms, are popular houseplants. These plants can beautify spaces, create thatched roofs, or provide shade to lawns. They also offer various benefits, such as stress reduction, improved productivity, and increased oxygen levels.
For more, see our in-depth guide on Kentia Palm plant care at home, managing common Kentia plant pests, and how to deal with common causes of dropping or yellowing leaves on Kentia Palms.