Plant care
Red-fleshed Duriantemperature & humidity
Durio kutejensis
More about red-fleshed durian
Ideal temperature for red-fleshed durian
Temperature kills fewer red-fleshed durian 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 22–38°C (72–100°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
Red-fleshed Durian is frost-tender (USDA 11–12, 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 red-fleshed durian
Red-fleshed Durian sits happiest at around 75–95% RH relative humidity. A strict equatorial species adapted to perpetually high humidity. Extended periods below 60% RH cause leaf tip burn and poor fruit set. Not suitable for Mediterranean or subtropical dry-summer climates without intensive irrigation and misting systems. 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.
Red-fleshed Durian temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for red-fleshed durian?
Red-fleshed Durian grows best between 22–38°C (72–100°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 red-fleshed durian tolerate?
Red-fleshed Durian 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 red-fleshed durian need?
Red-fleshed Durian prefers about 75–95% RH relative humidity. A strict equatorial species adapted to perpetually high humidity. Extended periods below 60% RH cause leaf tip burn and poor fruit set. Not suitable for Mediterranean or subtropical dry-summer climates without intensive irrigation and misting systems.
How do I raise humidity for red-fleshed durian?
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 red-fleshed durian live outside?
Red-fleshed Durian is rated for USDA zone 11–12 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 red-fleshed durian care
In the UK? Keeping red-fleshed durian warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full red-fleshed durian care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.