Arecaceae
Kentia palm
Howea forsteriana
- Family
- Arecaceae
- Genus
- Howea
Pets and kids
- CatsSafe
- DogsSafe
- KidsNot sure
Why
Cats: Safe
Sources below say it is non-toxic to cats. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.
- Kentia Palm - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Howea forsteriana (Forster Sentry Palm, Kentia Palm, Paradise Palm, Sentry Palm, Thatch Palm) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension
Dogs: Safe
Sources below say it is non-toxic to dogs. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.
- Kentia Palm - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Howea forsteriana (Forster Sentry Palm, Kentia Palm, Paradise Palm, Sentry Palm, Thatch Palm) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension
Kids: Not sure
We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.
Is yours looking unwell? Scan your plant — free
Is Kentia palm safe for cats, dogs and kids?
Is Kentia palm safe for cats?
Our sources call Kentia palm non-toxic to cats. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.
- Kentia Palm - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Howea forsteriana (Forster Sentry Palm, Kentia Palm, Paradise Palm, Sentry Palm, Thatch Palm) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension
Is Kentia palm safe for dogs?
Our sources call Kentia palm non-toxic to dogs. Any plant can upset a stomach if a lot is eaten.
- Kentia Palm - Toxic and Non-toxic Plants - ASPCA ASPCA Animal Poison Control
- Howea forsteriana (Forster Sentry Palm, Kentia Palm, Paradise Palm, Sentry Palm, Thatch Palm) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox University or extension
Is Kentia palm safe for kids?
We found no reliable source on this plant for young children, so we don't call it safe. Keep it out of reach until you have checked with a doctor or poison control.
Ate some? Call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 (a fee may apply). For a child, call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 (US). If they are struggling to breathe or collapse, call 911. Don't give anything by mouth unless a vet or poison expert tells you to.
See all cat-safe plants, dog-safe plants and child-safe plants.
Similar names and close relatives
A shared name doesn't mean a shared answer: check the exact plant.
- Parlor palm Chamaedorea eleganssimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Safe
- Areca palm Chrysalidocarpus lutescenssimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Safe
- Bamboo palm Rhapis excelsasimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Not sure
- Ponytail palm Beaucarnea recurvatasimilar nameCats: Safe; Dogs: Safe; Kids: Not sure
- Date palm Phoenix dactyliferasimilar nameCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure
- Betel palm Areca catechusimilar nameCats: Not sure; Dogs: Not sure; Kids: Not sure
Common names
By language (16)
- Arabic
- خزمة فورستري
- arz
- خزمه فورسترى
- Azerbaijani
- Forstera hoveyası
- Bangla
- কেনটিয়া পাম
- Chinese
- 豪爵椰, 豪爵椰属, 豪爵椰屬, 平叶棕, 豪爵棕
- Czech
- Kencie Forsterova
- English
- Kentia palm, Paradise palm, Sentry palm, Thatch palm, Thatchleaf palm
- Estonian
- Forsteri kentiapalm
- French
- Kentia
- German
- Forstersche Kentia
- Hebrew
- הוואיה פורסטריאנה
- Icelandic
- Kentíupálmi
- Japanese
- ヒロハケンチャヤシ
- Latvian
- Forstera hoveja
- Persian
- نخل بهشتی
- Russian
- Ховея Форстера
Synonyms
- Denea forsteriana (F.Muell.) O.F.Cook
- Grisebachia forsteriana (F.Muell.) H.Wendl. & Drude
- Kentia australis Anon.
- Kentia forsteriana F.Muell.
- Kentia forsteriana F.Muell. & H.Wendl.
Photos
Photo: Black Diamond Images, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: William Harland, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: dhfischer, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Black Diamond Images, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Rosie Steinberg, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Black Diamond Images, CC BY 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: Leon Perrie, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Granitethighs, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: ian_mcallan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Granitethighs, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons 
Photo: dhfischer, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist 
Photo: Granitethighs, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
More in Howea
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names from SimplePlant editors (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.