Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is African Liana Sundew (Triphyophyllum peltatum)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called African Liana Sundew, Liana Sundew.

More about african liana sundew

About African Liana Sundew

Triphyophyllum peltatum · also called African Liana Sundew, Liana Sundew · tropical

Triphyophyllum peltatum is a facultatively carnivorous woody liana from the tropical rainforests of Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, and is the largest confirmed carnivorous plant in the world, capable of reaching 60 m in length at maturity. It expresses carnivory only when phosphorus is deficient, producing sticky glandular leaves that trap insects; at other life stages it bears non-carnivorous strap-like or climbing leaves. It is extremely rare in cultivation — maintained only at a handful of botanical gardens — and requires a consistently warm, humid tropical greenhouse. The plant contains naphthylisoquinoline alkaloids; it is not listed on the ASPCA database and must be treated as potentially harmful to pets.

Cold limit: USDA 11-12 (indoor in most climates) · RHS H1a (20–32 °C)

Watch for — Stem die-back from low humidity or cold: Any drop in humidity below 60% or temperatures below 18 °C can trigger stem die-back and leaf drop; this tropical liana is intolerant of chilling and must be maintained in a consistently warm, humid environment.

What african liana sundew's hardiness rating actually means

African Liana Sundew is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Its RHS rating of H1a means: Tropical — needs a heated room or greenhouse; no frost tolerance whatsoever. On the US scale that maps to USDA 11-12 (indoor in most climates) — the zones where it can be left outdoors year-round.

New to these scales? The USDA hardiness zone map explained covers how the zone numbers work, and you can find your own zone with the zone finder.

Minimum temperature — and what happens below it

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly above about 15 °C (warm, never cold). African Liana Sundew has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for african liana sundew as it gets too cold:

Below about above about 15 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches.
A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover.
Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.

Can african liana sundew go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above above 15 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually.
Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C.
It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

Work back from your local frost dates with the frost-date calculator: the last spring frost and first autumn frost are what really decide when african liana sundew can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1a figure above.

African Liana Sundew hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is african liana sundew cold hardy?

African Liana Sundew is not cold hardy. It is a tropical houseplant that dies if it is left out through frost — there is no zone where it overwinters outdoors in a UK or cold-US climate. Indoor-only in almost every home. African Liana Sundew can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 11-12 (indoor in most climates)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature african liana sundew can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly above about 15 °C (warm, never cold). African Liana Sundew has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

What hardiness zone is african liana sundew?

African Liana Sundew is rated USDA 11-12 (indoor in most climates) and RHS H1a — Tropical — needs a heated room or greenhouse; no frost tolerance whatsoever.

Can african liana sundew survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above above 15 °C, in shade or dappled light, hardened off gradually. Bring it back indoors well before the first autumn frost — do not wait for a frost warning, move it when nights drop toward 10-12 °C. It will never overwinter outside in a temperate climate; the indoors is its winter home, full stop.

What happens to african liana sundew below its minimum temperature?

Below about above about 15 °C, growth stalls and the leaves start to show cold stress — dark, water-soaked, or yellowing patches. A single light frost blackens the foliage; a hard freeze kills the whole plant, roots included, and it does not recover. Even a cold, draughty windowsill or an unheated porch in winter can be enough to damage it permanently.