The Kentia Palm is native to Lord Howe Island. It was discovered in 1869 by Charles Moore who was the director of the Royal Botanical Garden in Sydney, Australia. In 1881 T.B.Wilson a local resident of Lord Howe Island made a boat trip to New Zealand, and a port of call on that trip was Norfolk Island. T.B.Wilson had visited Norfolk Island previously in 1878, and was given a small amount of Araucaria (Norfolk Island Pine) seed as a gift. To compensate for that gift T.B.Wilson bought with him from Lord Howe Island some Howea Forsteriana seed as repayment for the Araucaria seed. This friendly exchange of seeds is the first record of the Kentia Palm's introduction into Norfolk Island.
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The original Kentia seeds that T.B.Wilson brought to Norfolk Island were germinated and planted at various locations around the Island. Each year more trees were planted from the seed germination. Most Kentia trees at that time were grown in small numbers around island homes.
Ivens (Pullis) Nobbs is recognized as the pioneer of the Kentia industry on Norfolk Island. While serving with the Australian Armed Forces in North Africa during World War Two Pullis noticed Kentia Palms displayed as decorative plants in various luxurious locations. Pullis was aware that his father had planted twelve tall trees on the family's property on Norfolk Island from the original Kentia seed obtained from T.B.Wilson. He believed that seed harvested from those and other Kentia trees on Norfolk Island could have become the finished product that he saw in North Africa.
When Pullis returned from active war service he began to clear the family land and plant out Kentias in quantity. There were some plants available from the early seed that had been brought to the Island from Lord Howe Island but Pullis needed more. He decided to make a trip to Lord Howe Island. As T.B.Wilson had donein the previous century he traded Araucaria seed for Howea Forsteriana seed.
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Today Pullis VAlley is the largest Kentia plantation on Norfolk Island. It is the realization of the dream Pullis had imagined, coupled with unceasingly hard work over four generations. He was instrumental in its expansion through this encouragement of other Islanders and residents to also cultivate Kentia Palms.
Unlike the Kentia Palm trees growing on Lord Howe Island, which generally grow in the wild and propagate naturally on fairly steep terrain, nearly all the Kentia trees on Norfolk Island are cultivated plantation style. Owners of Kentias on Norfolk Island are paid for their seed crop. Cultivation and proper maintenance of the tree in this format gives the trees a greater chance of producing good quality seed and a higher yield. As a result, Norfolk Island over the years established a reputation in the palm industry as a source that supplies "top class" seeds which produce healthy vigorous seedlings.
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Kentia Palms, originating from Norfolk Island seed, are featured in some of the finest hotels throughout the world. Everywhere they are found, the Norfolk Island Kentia Palms give pleasure to the eye. They have penetrated that exclusive top tier market where quality is in premium demand. Remarkably, they are equally available to every consumer with the same high quality and at a reasonable price.
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