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The Kentia Palm Nursery Lord Howe Island

A most Unusual Industry
The first tiny settlement on Lord Howe Island supported itself by supplying the ships of the whaling industry which flourished in the Pacific Ocean throughout the 19th century.

As whaling declined, however, a new source of income was desperately needed. At first, the islanders attempted to sell their produce, but it was the humble native palm (Howea forsteriana) they used to thatch their houses which eventually saved them.  

Still called the thatch palm by many islanders, it was to become the most popular decorative palm in the world.  
The Kentia palm is indisputably beautiful and elegant, and complements the interior of many a fine building. It is also remarkably hardy and resilient and is particularly suited to indoor conditions.

The mild, balmy and unique climate, of Lord Howe Island has evolved a palm which can tolerate low light, a dry atmosphere and which requires less maintenance than other indoor plants.

Maintaining the Quality
At first, and until  the early 1980’s, it was only the seeds of the Kentia Palm which were exported. Now, however, only small trees and shot seedlings of the highest quality, which have been carefully nurtured in the nursery on Lord Howe Island can be sold.

The Nursery received Certification in 1997 of its Quality Management System, complying with the requirements of Australian Standard AS/NZS 150 9002 for the production and cultivation of premium palm seedlings, germinated from palms indigenous to Lord Howe Island.There are many reasons for this obsession with quality control; most importantly, the reputation of the Kentia Palm is precious to the islanders. Kentia Palms grown elsewhere have exhibited inconsistencies of quality and it was this the islanders wanted to stop. So ended the export of seeds.  

Like everything else on Lord Howe Island, the way the Kentia Palm business is run is unique. It is managed by dedicated and experienced staff employed by the Lord Howe Island Board.  

The Board consists of three islanders and two representatives of the National Parks and Wildlife Service. Therefore the Palm industry of Lord Howe Island operates within the auspices of the New South Wales State Government, and so the very highest standards of quality and Supply can be vigorously maintained. It also means that all the money earned from the sale of palms is put back into preserving the remarkable ecosystem which nurtures them.

A Unique Harvest
All the seeds which are planted and grown in the Lord Howe Island Board palm nursery are gathered from the natural forest, or from plantations established as part of a program to return cleared areas to their natural state.

This means that every Kentia Palm exported from Lord Howe Island is a first generation descendant of the mother stock which have been growing for centuries in their natural environment. The horticultural equivalent, if you like, of real pearls versus cultured pearls.  

Only islanders experienced, in the collection of seeds are permitted to harvest them from mature Kentia Palms. And, as this is a skill passed down from one generation to the next, most collectors are descendants of the original settlers who have performed this task for over a century.  

The combined experience of the islanders and the Board guarantees that only mature viable seed is harvested and that the resulting seedling are always of the highest quality and vigour.