A dry leaf on the Kentia palm every now and then is completely normal. The fronds age and die over time. However, if the palm tree gets one dry leaf after another, this is a sign that the Kentia palm is not doing well. What to do about dry leaves on Kentia palms?
Why does the Kentia palm have dry leaves and what can you do about it?
Dry leaves on a Kentia palm can be caused by incorrect watering, an unfavorable location, dry air or pest infestation. To fix this, you should control watering, adjust the location, increase the humidity and watch out for pests.
Causes of Kentia Palm Dry Leaves
There are a number of causes for dry leaves on the Kentia palm:
- too much / too little water
- dry air
- Pest Infestation
- too cool or dark location
Prevent waterlogging at all costs
The most common reason for dry leaves is too much moisture. If the soil is too wet or the roots are directly in water, the Kentia palm can no longer absorb moisture.
Dry leaves are therefore not a sign of too little watering, but rather of too frequent and vigorous watering. Check how moist the substrate is. If necessary, you may have to transplant the Kentia palm into drier substrate.
Water the Kentia palm regularly so that the root ball does not dry out completely, but never leave water standing in the planter or saucer.
Place the Kentia palm very brightly and warmly
An incorrect location can also cause the Kentia palm to have dry, brown leaves. Place the palm tree as brightly as possible and make sure that the temperatures at the location do not fall below 18 degrees.
Check for pests
If the leaves of the Kentia palm initially turn yellow and then dry, you should look out for pests. Spider mites, scale insects and thrips are more common when the humidity is very low.
If there is a pest infestation, shower the palm tree to wash off the pests. Protect the plant substrate with a plastic film so that the soil does not become too moist and pests cannot hide.
Increase humidity by regularly misting the fronds or placing bowls of water near the Kentia palm.
Tip
You can cut off dry leaves of the Kentia palm. But wait until the entire frond has dried before cutting. Leave a stub three to four centimeters long on the trunk.
