Why Are There White Spots on My Kentia Palm? [Reasons & Fixes]

The Kentia Palm is a popular houseplant option in the United States. Multiple reasons can cause white spots on my Kentia Palm.

Some reasons for blemishes include a fungal infection or viral infection and nutritional deficiencies.

In the US, the Kentia Palm is usually grown outdoors in states like Florida and Hawaii. In other states, it is mainly grown in pots indoors.

The Kentia Palm is a popular indoor plant option because it is easy to maintain. It also adds a vibrant, tropical touch to the space. These palms grow to impressive heights and have dark green fronds.

Even though these plants are relatively easy to keep indoors, their needs still need to be met. If you don’t take care of your Kentia Palm well, it can become susceptible to diseases and deficiencies.

Kentia Palm’s white spots mainly indicate insect infestations or fungal infections.

In detail, let’s examine the reasons for the white spots on my Kentia Palm below.

Table of Contents

Scale Infestation

An insect infestation is one of the leading causes of white spots on my Kentia Palm. This insect is known as ‘scale’ and is tiny and flat. There are many scale species, and most have a white and hard, armor-like covering.

Scale insects absorb nutrients and sap from the plant’s leaves.

This condition turns the plant’s leaves brown. The Kentia Palm can eventually die if this insect infestation is not treated.

Scale infestation is visible due to the white spots on the Kentia Palms leaves. The leaves also turn sticky, indicating the insect’s presence. The stickiness or ‘honeydew’ is excreted from the insect.

You might also observe ants crawling on the Palm’s leaves. This is because ants feed on the honeydew. The ants themselves don’t pose much threat to the Palm. The presence of ants on the Palm’s leaves indicates Scale infestation.

Damage caused by this infestation is visible and detrimental to the plant. The Kentia Palm’s leaves will start turning yellow and then, soon after, fall off.

How to Treat Scale Infestation?

You can take the insects off by hand if it’s a small infestation. You can also apply products that control scale infestations. These include insecticidal soaps and horticulture oils. Apply the products as soon as you observe the infestation is present.

Pyrethrin-based insecticides can also be directly applied to your Kentia Palm to treat this infestation. Sometimes Kentia Palms are sensitive to soaps, so be careful with using those.

Preventive Measures

Ensure certain factors to prevent such insect infestations and Kentia Palm white spots.

Your Kentia Palm should be getting enough sunlight to stay vital and fresh. It should not be direct sunlight, as indirect sunlight works best with this plant. Also, make sure you don’t over-water the plant.

Place the plant in an airy, bright room. Plenty of indirect sunlight should be present at the plants’ location. Also, use a pot that has adequate drainage for your Kentia Palm.

Other than this, you cannot do much to prevent a scale infestation. Keep checking your plant often for signs of disease or distress. Examine the plants’ leaves and watch out for any insects present on them. Also, notice the leaves’ color, which can be indicative.

Fungal Infection

Kentia Palm’s white spots can also be due to a fungal infection. This is commonly known as Graphiola Leaf Spot. This infection is common amongst plants of the Arecaceae family, such as the Kentia Palm.

You know your Kentia Palm has the Graphiola Leaf Spot if you detect specific symptoms. This includes little black-colored bumps on the Palm’s leaves. The bumps soon turn white and produce little threads.

The presence of this fungal infection is not deadly to the Kentia Palm. Most palms can tolerate it without suffering from any side effects.

How to Treat the Fungal Infection

Even if this fungus does not harm the Kentia Palm, treating it’s still a good idea. The Graphiola Leaf Spot has noticeable symptoms and can severely affect the Palm’s leaves.

To treat this infection, you need to remove the most infected leaves. But be careful not to remove too many fronds as the plant requires them for nutrition.

To prevent the Graphiola Leaf Spot, ensure your plant is placed in an open space with plenty of air circulation. Air circulation helps as it reduces humidity. Also, avoid getting the Kentia Palm’s leaves wet when watering them.

You can also apply fungicides to remove the infection, but it’s unnecessary. If applying fungicides, do so sparingly and only in the spring season.

Lime or Mineral Deposits

White spots on my Kentia Palm can also be due to lime or mineral deposits.

White spots caused by these deposits are usually larger than spots caused by other reasons. These spots can also, sometimes, turn the Palm’s leaves white and dusty. These spots are not harmful to the Kentia Palm, but the plant can seem unsightly.

A lime deposit buildup occurs when you water your Kentia Palm with hard water. When this water evaporates, it leaves mineral deposits behind.

How to Get Rid of Lime Deposit Buildup

Removing Lime Deposit buildup is an easy process. One way is to wipe your Kentia Palm’s leaves with a cloth. Dampen the cloth with a mixture of distilled water and white vinegar. One teaspoon of white vinegar is sufficient.

A method to avoid mineral deposit buildup is to water the base of your plant. Don’t get water on the Palm’s leaves. This way, the minerals will not stick to the leaves and be visible.

Another method to avoid this buildup is to water your plant with distilled water. When using this water, you can easily water the base of the plant and its leaves.

Determining Problems in Your Kentia Palm

Kentia Palms look fabulous when tended to attentively and with care. They can uplift your entire interior by creating a vibrant, tropical vibe.

If you are not attentive to your plant and neglect it often, the above-discussed issues can arise.

If in doubt there is something wrong with your Kentia Palm, examine the plant closely. Make a note of the symptoms at display and also take the surrounding conditions into account.

Gather this information and analyze it, so the problem becomes evident. Once you know the issue, you can take steps to rectify it and nourish your plant back to health.

Watering Your Kentia palm Correctly

It would help if you watered the Kentia Palm the right way. Both overwatering and underwatering can be detrimental to this plant.

Overwatering the Kentia Palm

Even though the Kentia Palm is a low-maintenance plant, over-watering can be severely detrimental. It can also quickly kill it. Over-watering this plant can cause root rot, and the plant cannot draw water quickly enough.

Instead of watering the Kentia Palm, try to mist it. This will prevent dust buildup and prevent other problems too.

When watering the Kentia Palm, always check if it needs watering or not. Examine the top layer of the soil in the pot. You can water the plant if it is dry, but make sure to water sparingly. Using a mist to spray water helps as this also helps stimulate humidity.

Also, ensure you use a pot that has good drainage. Adequate drainage gets rid of excess water, thus preventing any chance of root rot.

Underwatering the Kentia Palm

Underwatering your Kentia Palm can also cause problems. Tips of the Kentia Palm’s leaves can turn yellow and then brown. The leaves also show signs of being unhealthy by becoming dry and brittle.

Another sign of underwatering the Kentia palm is that the plant will start bending. It will not be able to stand upright. This is a significant sign that indicates the plant is not getting enough water.

To ensure the Palm is getting enough water, conduct a thorough examination of the plant frequently. Check the leaves to see if they are changing color. Check the stem to see if it’s standing upright and not changing shape.

It’s also a great idea to set days when your Kentia Palm needs to be watered. This will help you remember when you last watered the plant and when to water it.

To prevent underwatering the plant, lightly water it once a week. Do examine the plant now and then to see any signs of underwatering.

Examining the top layer of the soil can determine when the plant needs to be watered next. If the top layer is damp, it does not need to be watered. If the layer is dry, it’s safe to lightly water the plant.

Concluding Thoughts

The reasons discussed above tell us how white spots on my Kentia Palm can be concerning. If the Kentia Palm white spots are caused due to a scale infestation, they must be tended to immediately.

If the spots are due to a fungal infection that’s not directly harmful to the plant, it’s still better to treat it.

If the spots are because of mineral deposit buildup, simply wipe your plant with a damp cloth. To avoid this buildup, you can water the Kentia palm with distilled water.