Plant care
Drooping Spleenworttemperature & humidity
Asplenium flaccidum
More about drooping spleenwort
Ideal temperature for drooping spleenwort
Drooping Spleenwort is comfortable in any room a person is comfortable in, roughly 8–22°C (46–72°F). The mistakes are micro-climates: a north-facing window on a frosty night, a south-facing windowsill in a summer heatwave, the standing draught between an opened kitchen door and the radiator behind it. Read the room around the plant, not the thermostat. Below roughly 8°C growth pauses; cold beyond that pushes it into dormancy rather than killing it outright.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Drooping Spleenwort is comparatively hardy (USDA 8-10, RHS H3). Within that range it tolerates a cold dormant spell outdoors; outside it, grow it in a container you can move under cover or overwinter in a cool but frost-free spot. Hardiness assumes an established plant in well-drained soil — a wet, cold root zone kills far more plants than cold air alone.
Humidity for drooping spleenwort
Drooping Spleenwort sits happiest at around 50–75% relative humidity. Moderate humidity suits it well. It tolerates lower humidity than many ferns given its epiphytic habit. Avoid hot, dry air from central heating. A pebble tray or nearby humidifier helps in dry indoor environments, especially in winter. 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.
Drooping Spleenwort temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for drooping spleenwort?
Drooping Spleenwort grows best between 8–22°C (46–72°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 drooping spleenwort tolerate?
Drooping Spleenwort starts to suffer below roughly 8°C. It tolerates a cold dormant period within USDA 8-10, but a wet cold root zone is more dangerous than cold air.
What humidity does drooping spleenwort need?
Drooping Spleenwort prefers about 50–75% relative humidity. Moderate humidity suits it well. It tolerates lower humidity than many ferns given its epiphytic habit. Avoid hot, dry air from central heating. A pebble tray or nearby humidifier helps in dry indoor environments, especially in winter.
How do I raise humidity for drooping spleenwort?
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 drooping spleenwort live outside?
Drooping Spleenwort is rated for USDA zone 8-10 and RHS hardiness H3. Within that range it can stay outdoors; outside it, grow it in a moveable container and protect the roots from a wet, cold winter.
More drooping spleenwort care
In the UK? Keeping drooping spleenwort warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full drooping spleenwort care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.