Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Toothed Davallia (Davallia denticulata)cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Toothed Davallia, Toothed Hare's Foot Fern, Rabbit's Foot Fern.

More about toothed davallia

About Toothed Davallia

Davallia denticulata · also called Toothed Davallia, Toothed Hare's Foot Fern · tropical

Davallia denticulata is a vigorous, tropical epiphytic fern widespread across Southeast Asia, the Pacific, and northern Australia. Its coarsely toothed, leathery, tripinnate fronds are supported by thick, pale, woolly rhizomes that scramble outward dramatically. It suits warm, humid indoor spaces, tropical garden beds, or large hanging baskets in conservatories.

Cold limit: USDA 10–12 · RHS H1a (18–30 °C)

Watch for — Frond dieback in low humidity: In dry indoor conditions, frond tips desiccate and turn brown, eventually spreading to whole fronds. As a tropical species, this plant requires sustained humidity above 55%. Run a humidifier nearby, especially in winter, and keep away from all sources of dry, warm air.

What toothed davallia's hardiness rating actually means

Toothed Davallia 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 10–12 — 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). Toothed Davallia has no frost tolerance at all — it is an indoor plant in any climate with a real winter.

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

Toothed Davallia hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is toothed davallia cold hardy?

Toothed Davallia 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. Toothed Davallia can only live outside year-round in genuinely frost-free climates (roughly USDA 10–12); everywhere else it is a houseplant that summers out at most.

What is the minimum temperature toothed davallia can survive?

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

What hardiness zone is toothed davallia?

Toothed Davallia is rated USDA 10–12 and RHS H1a — Tropical — needs a heated room or greenhouse; no frost tolerance whatsoever.

Can toothed davallia 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 toothed davallia 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.