Cold hardiness & minimum temperature

Is Variegated Bear's Paw (Cotyledon tomentosa 'Bear's Paw Variegata')cold hardy? Hardiness zone & min temp

Also called Variegated Bear's Paw, Bear's Paw Variegata.

More about variegated bear's paw

About Variegated Bear's Paw

Cotyledon tomentosa 'Bear's Paw Variegata' · also called Variegated Bear's Paw, Bear's Paw Variegata · houseplant

A highly collectible variegated form of the South African Bear's Paw succulent, whose velvety, cream-and-green leaves are tipped with reddish-brown 'claws'. The reduced chlorophyll from variegation makes it more sensitive to intense sun than the species type. All Cotyledon contain cardiac glycosides — keep well away from pets and children.

Cold limit: USDA 9b–11b · RHS H2 (-2 to 32°C)

Watch for — Leaf drop from stress: Leaves fall readily when the plant is overwatered, moved suddenly, or exposed to temperature extremes. Ensure stable conditions, allow soil to dry between waterings, and avoid draughts.

What variegated bear's paw's hardiness rating actually means

Variegated Bear's Paw is half-hardy (RHS H2). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Its RHS rating of H2 means: Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot. On the US scale that maps to USDA 9b–11b — 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 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Variegated Bear's Paw shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

Concretely, for variegated bear's paw as it gets too cold:

Down to roughly about 1 to 5 °C it copes, especially if dry and sheltered.
A sustained hard frost collapses the top growth; whether it returns depends on whether the roots, crown or tubers froze.
Wet cold is far more lethal than dry cold for this plant — soggy, frozen soil is the usual killer.

Can variegated bear's paw go outside or overwinter — and where?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA 9b–11b or a frost-free UK microclimate.
In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter.
A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

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 variegated bear's paw can be outside. US growers can check USDA zones; UK growers should use the RHS hardiness ratings, which match the H2 figure above.

Frost protection for borderline variegated bear's paw

Variegated Bear's Paw is right on a hardiness edge in many gardens, so if you are pushing it, these measures buy it the margin it needs:

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost.
Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse.
Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones.
Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.

Variegated Bear's Paw hardiness — frequently asked questions

Is variegated bear's paw cold hardy?

Variegated Bear's Paw is half-hardy (RHS H2). It survives a mild winter outdoors in a sheltered spot, but a hard frost kills it — so in colder zones it is lifted, potted, or grown as a tender plant. Borderline outdoors. In its mild end of USDA 9b–11b (and sheltered UK gardens) variegated bear's paw can stay out; in colder areas it must be lifted, brought in, or treated as a frost-tender plant.

What is the minimum temperature variegated bear's paw can survive?

Minimum survivable temperature is roughly about 1 to 5 °C — tolerates cold but no real frost. Variegated Bear's Paw shrugs off cold nights but a real, sustained freeze will kill it.

What hardiness zone is variegated bear's paw?

Variegated Bear's Paw is rated USDA 9b–11b and RHS H2 — Tender — survives a frost-free greenhouse or a very mild, sheltered spot.

Can variegated bear's paw survive winter outside?

It can live outside year-round only in the mildest, most sheltered part of USDA 9b–11b or a frost-free UK microclimate. In colder zones, grow it in a pot you can move under cover, or lift its tubers/roots and store them frost-free over winter. A south-facing wall, free-draining soil and a dry winter position can push it a full zone hardier than the books suggest.

How do I protect variegated bear's paw from frost?

Mulch the crown or root zone deeply with bark, straw or leaf-mould before the first hard frost. Move container plants against a warm wall or into an unheated but frost-free porch or greenhouse. Fleece the top growth on the coldest nights, and keep it on the dry side — dry roots survive cold far better than wet ones. Lift dahlia-type tubers or tender crowns after the first light frost blackens the foliage and store them somewhere cool but frost-free.