Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Paul Simons

Plantwatch: the Australian roots of Queen Victoria’s beloved Kentia palm

A Kentia palm forest on Lord Howe Island, Australia.
The palms all came from seeds harvested from Lord Howe Island, a remote island only 11km long far off the Australian east coast. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

Kentia palms were the classic indoor plants of Victorian times that decorated palm courts, even on the Titanic. Queen Victoria loved them so much she left instructions that they be placed around her coffin.

The palms all came from seeds harvested from Lord Howe Island, a remote island only 11km long far off Australia’s east coast where nearly half of the plants, including the Kentia palms, are found nowhere else in the world.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.