Two Palms, Two Personalities

I once stood in a garden centre holding two small palms, unable to decide which would suit the dim hallway I was furnishing. One was a Howea forsteriana, the Kentia Palm, with arching fronds on slender stems. The other was Chamaedorea elegans, the Parlor Palm, shorter and bushier with feathery leaves. Both are marketed as shade lovers, but they are not interchangeable, and the wrong pick can leave you with a sad, stretched specimen.

This comparison breaks down the real differences so you can match the plant to the room instead of guessing. If you want the broad context first, our 2026 low-light houseplant list ranks both among the best for gloomy spaces.

Height and Overall Shape

Kentia is the taller of the two. Given time and a 25-30 cm pot, it reaches 2-3 m indoors, with a single trunk-like stem that arches outward, so it reads as a floor plant. Parlor Palm stays compact at 1-1.5 m even when mature, and it grows in a clump of multiple thin canes, which makes it suit a table, a plant stand, or a narrow corner.

The trade-off is clear: if you need height to fill a bare wall, Kentia wins. If ceiling height or a small flat limits you, Parlor Palm fits without crowding the room. In my own 2.4 m ceiling flat, the Parlor Palm sits happily on a sideboard while a Kentia would have touched the plaster.

Light Needs

Both take low to bright indirect light, and neither wants direct sun, which scorches the fronds within a day or two. Parlor Palm is the more shade-tolerant of the pair and will hold green in a north-facing room with only 2-3 hours of weak light. Kentia also tolerates shade but grows slower and looks leggier if light drops below that level for months.

For a north window specifically, the north-window plant guide explains why these two top the list. I keep a Parlor Palm 150 cm from a north window and it has not complained in two winters.

Watering and Root Habits

Here the sizes matter. A Parlor Palm in a 15-20 cm pot dries out faster, so I water it every 7-10 days in summer, letting the top 2-3 cm dry first. Kentia holds more soil in its larger pot and prefers a deeper but less frequent soak, roughly every 10-14 days, with the top 4-5 cm allowed to dry.

Both hate wet feet, and a moisture meter takes the guesswork out of the larger Kentia pot where the surface lies about dryness. For the method behind reading soil by weight and finger, see our watering guide.

Price and Where to Buy

Parlor Palm is the budget choice. A healthy 40-60 cm plant costs about £10-£25, and because it is mass-produced, you find it in most supermarkets. Kentia commands a premium: a 1 m specimen runs £30-£80, and taller specimens climb past £120, partly because it grows slowly from seed and takes years to reach saleable size.

If you are furnishing on a tight budget or want several plants, Parlor Palm stretches your money. If you want a statement floor plant and can wait for it to grow, Kentia justifies the spend.

Pet Safety

Good news for owners of cats and dogs: both palms are non-toxic. Chamaedorea elegans and Howea forsteriana are listed as safe by veterinary poison centres, so a chewed frond will not trigger a rush to the vet. This sets them apart from some showier relatives; the Areca Palm care guide covers Dypsis lutescens, another safe palm that is far thirstier and brighter-light hungry.

The Verdict: Dark Flat vs Bright Hallway

For a small, dark flat, choose Parlor Palm. It stays under 1.5 m, fits on furniture, tolerates the lowest light of the two, and costs little if it struggles. For a bright hallway with high ceilings and room to grow, Kentia is the better long-term investment: it becomes a graceful arching feature and shrugs off the occasional dry spell.

Neither is hard, but they are different tools. Match the palm to the space and you avoid the stretched, yellowing look that comes from forcing the wrong one into the wrong corner.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Which palm is better for a windowless bathroom?

A:

Neither truly thrives without any light, but Parlor Palm copes best with a weak north window and a humid bathroom. Add a timer grow light if the room is fully enclosed.

Q: Why are my Kentia palm fronds going yellow at the tips?

A:

Usually low humidity or fluoride in tap water. Use filtered water and raise humidity above 40%; the Parlor Palm care guide has more on frond problems.

Q: Can I grow Kentia Palm from seed at home?

A:

Yes, but it is slow. Fresh seed germinates in 3-6 months and the plant takes years to reach 1 m, which is why shop plants cost more.

Q: Do these palms need repotting often?

A:

No. Parlor Palm likes being slightly root-bound and repots every 2-3 years; Kentia even less, every 3-4 years, because it dislikes root disturbance.

Q: Which palm is safer if I have a cat that chews leaves?

A:

Both are non-toxic, so either works. Parlor Palm is the cheaper loss if your pet does take a bite.

Q: My Parlor Palm has brown fronds after repotting, is it dying?

A:

Probably transplant shock from disturbed roots. Keep it in stable 18-24°C, water lightly, and new fronds should appear within 4-6 weeks.

Both palms are shade-tolerant and pet-safe, so you cannot go far wrong. For more shade-loving options beyond palms, browse the full low-light roundup.