Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Philodendron Gigas (Philodendron gigas)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Philodendron Gigas, Gigas, Velvet Giant Philodendron.

More about philodendron gigas

About Philodendron Gigas

Philodendron gigas · also called Philodendron Gigas, Gigas · tropical

Philodendron gigas is a rare climbing aroid from Panama, prized for huge, velvety, deep-green leaves with pale veins. Give it bright indirect light, a chunky aroid mix, high humidity, and a moss pole to climb. It is toxic to cats and dogs (calcium oxalates), so keep it well out of reach of curious pets.

Cold limit: USDA 10-12 (outdoors); grown as a houseplant elsewhere (18-27 C)

What philodendron gigas's hardiness rating actually means

Philodendron Gigas 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 (outdoors); grown as a houseplant elsewhere — 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 Gigas has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

Concretely, for philodendron gigas 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 gigas 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 gigas can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H1c figure above.

Philodendron Gigas hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is philodendron gigas cold hardy?

Philodendron Gigas 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 Gigas can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10-12 (outdoors); grown as a houseplant elsewhere); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature philodendron gigas can survive?

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

What hardiness zone is philodendron gigas?

Philodendron Gigas is rated USDA 10-12 (outdoors); grown as a houseplant elsewhere and RHS H1c — Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost.

Can philodendron gigas 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 gigas 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.