Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' (Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Red Anne nerve plant, Red Anne fittonia.

More about fittonia albivenis 'red anne'

About Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne'

Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' · also called Red Anne nerve plant, Red Anne fittonia · tropical

Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' is a compact nerve plant prized for olive-green leaves netted with vivid rose-red veins. A low, creeping tropical from Peruvian rainforest floors, it craves constant moisture, high humidity, and bright indirect light. It dramatically wilts when thirsty but recovers fast, making it a forgiving terrarium and bottle-garden favourite.

Cold limit: USDA 11-12 (indoor houseplant in most US and UK homes) · RHS H1b (18-27°C)

What fittonia albivenis 'red anne''s hardiness rating actually means

Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' 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 H1b means: Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season. On the US scale that maps to USDA 11-12 (indoor houseplant in most US and UK homes) — 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 about 10 °C (sustained cold below this is damaging). Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for fittonia albivenis 'red anne' as it gets too cold:

Below about about 10 °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 fittonia albivenis 'red anne' go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 10 °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 fittonia albivenis 'red anne' can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1b figure above.

Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is fittonia albivenis 'red anne' cold hardy?

Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' 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. Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 11-12 (indoor houseplant in most US and UK homes)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature fittonia albivenis 'red anne' can survive?

What hardiness zone is fittonia albivenis 'red anne'?

Fittonia albivenis 'Red Anne' is rated USDA 11-12 (indoor houseplant in most US and UK homes) and RHS H1b — Sub-tropical — a normal warm home is fine, but it cannot go outside in a cool season.

Can fittonia albivenis 'red anne' survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 10 °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 fittonia albivenis 'red anne' below its minimum temperature?

Below about about 10 °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.