Plant care
Ruetemperature & humidity
Ruta graveolens
More about rue
Ideal temperature for rue
Rue is comfortable in any room a person is comfortable in, roughly 10-27°C (50-81°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 10°C growth pauses; cold beyond that pushes it into dormancy rather than killing it outright.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Rue is comparatively hardy (USDA 4-9 (outdoor evergreen sub-shrub), RHS H5). 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 rue
Rue sits happiest at around Ambient outdoor relative humidity. An outdoor Mediterranean herb suited to dry, sunny, airy positions; it dislikes humid, stagnant conditions which encourage rot. 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.
Rue temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for rue?
Rue grows best between 10-27°C (50-81°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 rue tolerate?
Rue starts to suffer below roughly 10°C. It tolerates a cold dormant period within USDA 4-9 (outdoor evergreen sub-shrub), but a wet cold root zone is more dangerous than cold air.
What humidity does rue need?
Rue prefers about Ambient outdoor relative humidity. An outdoor Mediterranean herb suited to dry, sunny, airy positions; it dislikes humid, stagnant conditions which encourage rot.
How do I raise humidity for rue?
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 rue live outside?
Rue is rated for USDA zone 4-9 (outdoor evergreen sub-shrub) and RHS hardiness H5. 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 rue care
In the UK? Keeping rue warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full rue care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.