Living with a Kentia palm

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I've had the Kentia palm for a couple of days, and I really like it. In fact, Macintosh, the good little wiener dog, likes sleeping under it. That was her space before, but there is room to share.

Kentias are also called "Parlor Palms" and have a nice, elegant, old-fashioned look to them. I've studied old photos of them in places like Buckingham Palace and they really are regal.

Today I went and looked at decorative pots, but didn't see anything I liked. According to Kevin Williams, the Kentia palm expert, these plants do better if left in the original containers, so the pot on the outside is really just for decoration.

What I am looking for is a more casual tropical look, but you can also increase the elegance of a Kentia by putting it in a classic urn. Urns add to the height, so be sure your ceiling is high enough. I would say that the pot it's in now is the right size, and the right color, I would just like to find something with wicker or bamboo that gives more of a Tropical Paradise feeling. I will let you know what I find.

My instructions from Kevin is to give it two glasses of water every Sunday. I will also follow the directions and give it some fertilizer in the spring and put it out in the rain when possible, which is always good for tropical indoor plants.

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