Plant care
Licuala Orbicularistemperature & humidity
Licuala orbicularis
More about licuala orbicularis
Ideal temperature for licuala orbicularis
Aim for 24-30C; keep above 18-20C (75-86F; keep above 64-68F) on the thermostat and you've handled the easy part. The hard part is the half-metre around the plant: window glass that drops to near-freezing on a January night, a radiator pumping out hot dry air, a draught from an opened front door. Move the plant 30 cm and you've usually fixed the problem. Below roughly 24°C the damage starts — soft blackened patches, translucent leaves, sometimes overnight.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Licuala Orbicularis is frost-tender (USDA 11-12 (strictly indoor/terrarium in virtually all US/UK homes), 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 licuala orbicularis
Licuala Orbicularis sits happiest at around 75-90% relative humidity. Demands very high humidity; below about 60% the round leaves split, brown, and stall. Best grown in a humid terrarium, vivarium, or dedicated humid glasshouse rather than open rooms. 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.
Licuala Orbicularis temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for licuala orbicularis?
Licuala Orbicularis grows best between 24-30C; keep above 18-20C (75-86F; keep above 64-68F). 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 licuala orbicularis tolerate?
Licuala Orbicularis starts to suffer below roughly 24°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 licuala orbicularis need?
Licuala Orbicularis prefers about 75-90% relative humidity. Demands very high humidity; below about 60% the round leaves split, brown, and stall. Best grown in a humid terrarium, vivarium, or dedicated humid glasshouse rather than open rooms.
How do I raise humidity for licuala orbicularis?
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 licuala orbicularis live outside?
Licuala Orbicularis is rated for USDA zone 11-12 (strictly indoor/terrarium in virtually all US/UK homes) 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 licuala orbicularis care
In the UK? Keeping licuala orbicularis warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full licuala orbicularis care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.