Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Philodendron Lemon Lime (Philodendron hederaceum 'Lemon Lime')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Lemon Lime Philodendron, Neon Philodendron, Golden Heartleaf Philodendron.

More about philodendron lemon lime

About Philodendron Lemon Lime

Philodendron hederaceum 'Lemon Lime' · also called Lemon Lime Philodendron, Neon Philodendron · houseplant

Philodendron Lemon Lime is a fast-growing trailing aroid prized for vivid chartreuse, heart-shaped leaves. Give it bright indirect light, water when the top half of soil dries, and average household warmth. It is easy to grow and forgiving. It is toxic to cats, dogs and horses (ASPCA-listed), so keep it out of reach.

Cold limit: USDA USDA zones 10-11 outdoors; grown as an indoor houseplant elsewhere (18-27C)

What philodendron lemon lime's hardiness rating actually means

Philodendron Lemon Lime 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 USDA zones 10-11 outdoors; grown as an indoor 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 Lemon Lime has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

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

Philodendron Lemon Lime hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is philodendron lemon lime cold hardy?

Philodendron Lemon Lime 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 Lemon Lime can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA USDA zones 10-11 outdoors; grown as an indoor houseplant elsewhere); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature philodendron lemon lime can survive?

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

What hardiness zone is philodendron lemon lime?

Philodendron Lemon Lime is rated USDA USDA zones 10-11 outdoors; grown as an indoor houseplant elsewhere and RHS H1c — Warm-temperate — can summer outdoors but must come in well before the first frost.

Can philodendron lemon lime 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 lemon lime 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.