Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Philodendron El Choco Red (Philodendron rubrijuvenile 'El Choco Red')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called El Choco Red, El Choco Red Philodendron, Philodendron El Choco.

More about philodendron el choco red

About Philodendron El Choco Red

Philodendron rubrijuvenile 'El Choco Red' · also called El Choco Red, El Choco Red Philodendron · tropical

Philodendron El Choco Red is a climbing tropical aroid from Colombia, prized for velvety green leaves with deep wine-red undersides on juvenile growth. It wants bright indirect light, a chunky aroid mix kept lightly moist, high humidity, and a moss pole. It is toxic to cats and dogs per the ASPCA.

Cold limit: USDA 10-12 (indoors/houseplant elsewhere; not frost-hardy) (18-29 C)

Watch for — Yellowing lower leaves: Most often overwatering or cold, soggy substrate. Let the top few inches dry between waterings and ensure the pot drains freely.

What philodendron el choco red's hardiness rating actually means

Philodendron El Choco Red 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 H1c means: Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost. On the US scale that maps to USDA 10-12 (indoors/houseplant elsewhere; not frost-hardy) — 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 5 °C (and never frost). Philodendron El Choco Red has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for philodendron el choco red as it gets too cold:

Below about about 5 °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 philodendron el choco red go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 5 °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 philodendron el choco red can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1c figure above.

Philodendron El Choco Red hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is philodendron el choco red cold hardy?

Philodendron El Choco Red 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. Philodendron El Choco Red can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-12 (indoors/houseplant elsewhere; not frost-hardy)); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature philodendron el choco red can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 5 °C (and never frost). Philodendron El Choco Red has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

What hardiness zone is philodendron el choco red?

Philodendron El Choco Red is rated USDA 10-12 (indoors/houseplant elsewhere; not frost-hardy) and RHS H1c — Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost.

Can philodendron el choco red survive winter outside?

It can holiday outdoors in summer once nights are reliably above 5 °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 philodendron el choco red below its minimum temperature?

Below about about 5 °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.