Hello! I got this palm at a store, and they had it labeled as Areca Palm. I wonder if it might have been labeled wrong? Since Areca, Majesty, Cat, Kentia etc need very different care despite their similar appearances (at least to me), I really want to be sure which species it is.

(Sorry for the extremely ugly pictures, but it is easier to see the characteristics with flash xP)

So, what do you think?

I would agree with you. I don't think Areca Palms have netting on the trunk.

DaisyI said:

I would agree with you. I don't think Areca Palms have netting on the trunk.

Yeah, the netting as well as the quite wide and droopy leaflets makes me think it might be a Kentia! Also, Areca palms usually have more of a yellow stem, don't they?

Looks like several young Queen Palms to me (Syagrus Romanzoffianum).

I have a few Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) growing in my yard and there is no fiber present on any of them. I don't know if any other Areca species have the fiber/thatch stuff.

Cat Palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum) and Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) doesn't show fiber either.

I used to have a Majesty Palm: http://garden.org/plants/searc... and it never had fiber on the base.

Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana) is sometimes sold as a houseplant and I think they do have the fiber along the base.

Dang @Carter, you are good! Queen Palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana)

plantladylin said:I have a few Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens) growing in my yard and there is no fiber present on any of them. I don't know if any other Areca species have the fiber/thatch stuff.

Cat Palm (Chamaedorea cataractarum) and Parlor Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) doesn't show fiber either.

I used to have a Majesty Palm: http://garden.org/plants/searc... and it never had fiber on the base.

Kentia Palm (Howea forsteriana) is sometimes sold as a houseplant and I think they do have the fiber along the base.

Thanks! One more thing that makes me think it might be a Kentia is the difference between the colors of the younger and older stems - the older ones have a slightly greyish colour, and from what I've read mature Kentias have grey stems! Glad to hear that it probably isn't a Majesty though, I've heard they are really tricky to please!

Carter said:Looks like several young Queen Palms to me (Syagrus Romanzoffianum).

Thank you! I can't find any pictures of potted Queen Palms except for one which doesn't look like mine, could you send me a link?

I don't know of any links, but I'm pretty sure this is a Queen Palm. I have a (poor, pitiful, neglected) potted one at home about this size I'll try to get a pic of this evening. I'll have to dig it out of the water oak leaves it's likely buried in right now!

If all those stems are from one root, its probably not a Queen Palm.

@Carter, you did it again!!

A Queen palm at that size should have plumose leaves. The leaves do not look to favor a Queen palm.

linneajj said:



Yeah, the netting as well as the quite wide and droopy leaflets makes me think it might be a Kentia! Also, Areca palms usually have more of a yellow stem, don't they?

If I were a betting man I would lay my money on Kentia. Did you buy it as a house plant palm? The Kentia palm is often sold for that purpose as they are known to perform well as a houseplant.

Maybe Howea forsteriana.

http://www.junglemusic.net/pal...

I agree with everyone who's said Kentia Palm. It does look like a more likely culprit than Queen Palm.

Thanks everyone!
I think/hope it's a kentia as well. I am not sure if all the stems are from one root system - there are several seperate stems, but they might be connected under the soil. Some grow out of other stems. It actually grows quite similarly to my monstera - new stems grow out of an older stem in a zig-zag pattern (if that makes sense.)