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1,664 bytes added ,  13:13, 18 July 2010
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|genus=Howea
 
|genus=Howea
 
|species=forsteriana
 
|species=forsteriana
|common_name=Kentia Palm, Sentry Palm, Paradise Palm
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|common_name=Kentia Palm, Sentry Palm, Paradise Palm, Thatch palm
 
|habit=palm-cycad
 
|habit=palm-cycad
 
|Max ht box=40
 
|Max ht box=40
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|Temp Metric=°F
 
|Temp Metric=°F
 
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
 
|jumpin=If this plant info box on watering; zones; height; etc. is mostly empty you can click on the edit tab and fill in the blanks!
|image=Upload.png
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|image=Howea forsteriana Lord Howe Island.jpg
 
|image_width=240
 
|image_width=240
 
}}
 
}}
Describe the plant here...
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The '''Kentia palm''' or '''Thatch palm''' (''Howea forsteriana'') is [[endemic (ecology)|endemic]] to [[Lord Howe Island]]. It is also widely grown on [[Norfolk Island]].  Its "fronds" or [[leaf|leaves]] grow up to 3 metres long.
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The species is considered vulnerable by the [[World Conservation Union]]. It is cultivated on Lord Howe Island by collecting wild seeds and [[germination|germinating]] them for export worldwide as an ornamental garden or house plant. The trade in the seeds and seedlings is tightly regulated.
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The palm is an elegant plant, and is popular for growing indoors, requiring little light. Out of doors, it prefers a [[tropical]] region but will also grow in a cooler climate, and can tolerate temperatures down to -5 °C, but only for a few hours; normal temperatures should not go below 10°. It grows readily outside in areas such as southern [[Australia]] and northern [[New Zealand]], where it is fairly common in private gardens or as a street tree. In the Northern Hemisphere, it can be grown as far north as SW England, and grows well in the south of [[Spain]] and the southernmost parts of the [[USA]], and will bear [[flower]]s and [[fruit]]. The coasts of the southeastern Azores and Madeira offer similar climates to its original habitat. It is slow growing, but will eventually reach heights of 6 to 18 metres. Under natural conditions, it grows as a solitary tree. Germination of the seeds is erratic.
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The closely related [[Belmore sentry palm]] (''Howea belmoreana''), also endemic on Lord Howe Island, is a smaller species to 7 metres tall, found mainly as an [[understory|understorey]] plant in moist [[forest]]s.
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{{Inc|
 
{{Inc|
Howea forsteriana, Becc. (Kentia Forsteriana, F. Muell. Grisebdchia Forsteriana, H. Wendl. & Drude). Flat or Thatch-leaf Palm. G.C. III. 8:75, 533. S.H. 2:53. A.G. 16:346. A.F. 4:565; 14:701. G. 8:581. Gn. 73, p. 111. Gn.M. 6:289. N. Taylor.
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Howea forsteriana, Becc. (Kentia Forsteriana, F. Muell. Grisebdchia Forsteriana, H. Wendl. & Drude). Flat or Thatch-leaf Palm.  
 
   
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<gallery perrow=5>
 
<gallery perrow=5>
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Image:Howea forsteriana Palms3.jpg
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Image:Endemic Howea forsteriana Palms- Neds Beach,Lord Howe Island.jpg
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 1
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 2
 
Image:Upload.png| photo 2