Overwintering guide
How to overwinter forest elephant's foot
Winter watering
Cut watering right back — forest elephant's foot uses far less while growth slows, and cold, wet compost is the usual cause of winter root rot. Stop feeding until spring.
The mistake that kills forest elephant's foot in winter
Watering on the same schedule as summer. In winter that keeps the roots sodden while the plant is barely drinking, and forest elephant's foot rots from the base.
More forest elephant's foot care
Overwintering forest elephant's foot — FAQ
Does forest elephant's foot need to come indoors for winter?
Forest Elephant's Foot is hardy to roughly USDA zone 10 — winter lows around -1°C. That means it will not survive frost and needs to come inside. Forest Elephant's Foot is frost-tender, so overwintering means bringing it inside and letting it rest rather than pushing it to grow. Move it indoors well before the first frost, give it the brightest spot you have (light levels indoors drop sharply in winter), and keep it away from both cold window glass and hot radiators — the swing between the two does more damage than the cold itself.
When should I move forest elephant's foot for winter?
Bring indoors when nights start dropping below about 10°C, ahead of the first frost.
How often should I water forest elephant's foot in winter?
Cut watering right back — forest elephant's foot uses far less while growth slows, and cold, wet compost is the usual cause of winter root rot. Stop feeding until spring.
What kills forest elephant's foot over winter?
Watering on the same schedule as summer. In winter that keeps the roots sodden while the plant is barely drinking, and forest elephant's foot rots from the base.