Plant care
Anubias barteri var. nanatemperature & humidity
Anubias barteri var. nana
More about anubias barteri var. nana
Ideal temperature for anubias barteri var. nana
Temperature kills fewer anubias barteri var. nana plants than you'd think. What kills them is the micro-climate within a normal-temperature room — a leaf pressed against single-glazed winter glass, the hot dry updraft directly above a radiator, the cold blast from an AC vent. The thermostat reading at 22-28°C (72-82°F) is fine; the spot you put the plant in matters more. Below roughly 22°C the damage starts — soft blackened patches, translucent leaves, sometimes overnight.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Anubias barteri var. nana is frost-tender (USDA 11-12 (true tropical; aquarium/indoor only), RHS H1a). It cannot survive a frost, so in most of the US and UK it lives indoors year-round or summers outside and comes back in well before the first autumn frost — once nights drop toward 10-12°C is the cue, not the first frost warning. Acclimate it over a week when moving between indoors and out so the leaves do not shock.
Humidity for anubias barteri var. nana
Anubias barteri var. nana sits happiest at around 90-100% relative humidity. Submerged in normal use; when grown emersed it needs near-saturated air above 90%. In open household air the small leaves crisp and brown quickly. The usual low-humidity tell is crisp brown leaf tips and edges while the soil moisture is fine — a sign the air, not the watering, is the problem. If you need to raise it, the reliable methods are grouping plants together, standing the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (the pot above the waterline, never in it), or running a small humidifier in winter when indoor heating dries the air most. Misting is the least effective — it raises humidity for minutes, not hours.
Anubias barteri var. nana temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for anubias barteri var. nana?
Anubias barteri var. nana grows best between 22-28°C (72-82°F). Keep it out of cold draughts, off freezing windowsills in winter, and away from the hot dry air directly above radiators — the extremes matter far more than the average room temperature.
How cold can anubias barteri var. nana tolerate?
Anubias barteri var. nana starts to suffer below roughly 22°C. It is frost-tender and will be damaged or killed by a frost, so bring it indoors once nights fall toward 10-12°C.
What humidity does anubias barteri var. nana need?
Anubias barteri var. nana prefers about 90-100% relative humidity. Submerged in normal use; when grown emersed it needs near-saturated air above 90%. In open household air the small leaves crisp and brown quickly.
How do I raise humidity for anubias barteri var. nana?
Group it with other plants, stand the pot on a tray of damp pebbles (kept above the waterline), or run a small humidifier in winter. Misting only helps for a few minutes, so it is the weakest option for a plant that genuinely needs more humidity.
Can anubias barteri var. nana live outside?
Anubias barteri var. nana is rated for USDA zone 11-12 (true tropical; aquarium/indoor only) and RHS hardiness H1a. Outside that range it must come indoors before the first frost — treat any outdoor stint as a summer holiday, not a permanent home.
More anubias barteri var. nana care
In the UK? Keeping anubias barteri var. nana warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full anubias barteri var. nana care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.