Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Licuala Orbicularis (Licuala orbicularis)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called round-leaf licuala, circular fan palm, orbicular licuala.

More about licuala orbicularis

About Licuala Orbicularis

Licuala orbicularis · also called round-leaf licuala, circular fan palm · houseplant

Licuala orbicularis is a prized Bornean understory palm grown for its perfectly circular, undivided pleated leaves like giant green dinner plates. A deep-shade rainforest specialist demanding constant warmth and very high humidity, it is a connoisseur's slow-growing collector palm, stunning in a humid terrarium, vivarium, or carefully tended conservatory.

Cold limit: USDA 11-12 (strictly indoor/terrarium in virtually all US/UK homes) · RHS H1a (24-30C; keep above 18-20C)

Watch for — Cold and draught damage: Intolerant of temperatures below about 18C and of cold draughts, which blacken the foliage.

What licuala orbicularis's hardiness rating actually means

Licuala Orbicularis 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 (strictly indoor/terrarium in virtually all US/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 above about 15 °C (warm, never cold). Licuala Orbicularis has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for licuala orbicularis 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 licuala orbicularis 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 licuala orbicularis can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1a figure above.

Licuala Orbicularis hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is licuala orbicularis cold hardy?

Licuala Orbicularis 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. Licuala Orbicularis can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 11-12 (strictly indoor/terrarium in virtually all US/UK homes)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature licuala orbicularis can survive?

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

What hardiness zone is licuala orbicularis?

Licuala Orbicularis is rated USDA 11-12 (strictly indoor/terrarium in virtually all US/UK homes) and RHS H1a — Tropical — needs a heated room or greenhouse; no frost tolerance whatsoever.

Can licuala orbicularis 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 licuala orbicularis 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.