Too little light

A Kentia that grows pale, thin, and stretched with widely spaced fronds is simply under-lit.

Diagnosis

Too little light

What's happening

Kentia tolerates lower light better than most palms, but tolerate isn't the same as thrive. In a genuinely dim corner it can't power full, deep-green fronds, so new growth comes in pale and weak, the stems stretch and lean toward the window, and the plant looks sparse and leggy rather than full.

How to fix it

Move it to a brighter spot with plenty of bright, indirect light — near an east or north window, or a few feet back from a filtered south or west one, never harsh direct sun, which scorches the fronds. If your space is genuinely dim, a full-spectrum grow light makes a real difference. Rotate the pot a quarter turn each week so it grows evenly instead of leaning.

What fixes it

If that doesn't fix it

This is general guidance based on common symptoms; individual plants vary.

Reviewed June 2026 · how we check this