Plant care
Thick Gongoratemperature & humidity
Gongora grossa
More about thick gongora
Ideal temperature for thick gongora
Aim for 16–30°C (day); minimum 13°C at night (61–86°F (day); minimum 55°F at night) 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 16°C the damage starts — soft blackened patches, translucent leaves, sometimes overnight.
Cold tolerance & winter care
Thick Gongora is frost-tender (USDA 10–12, RHS H1b). 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 thick gongora
Thick Gongora sits happiest at around 60–80% relative humidity. Originates from humid tropical forests; maintain humidity above 60% year-round. Use humidity trays, misting early in the day (ensuring foliage dries by evening), or a dedicated humidifier. Always pair with good air circulation to prevent Botrytis and bacterial 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.
Thick Gongora temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for thick gongora?
Thick Gongora grows best between 16–30°C (day); minimum 13°C at night (61–86°F (day); minimum 55°F at night). 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 thick gongora tolerate?
Thick Gongora starts to suffer below roughly 16°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 thick gongora need?
Thick Gongora prefers about 60–80% relative humidity. Originates from humid tropical forests; maintain humidity above 60% year-round. Use humidity trays, misting early in the day (ensuring foliage dries by evening), or a dedicated humidifier. Always pair with good air circulation to prevent Botrytis and bacterial rot.
How do I raise humidity for thick gongora?
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 thick gongora live outside?
Thick Gongora is rated for USDA zone 10–12 and RHS hardiness H1b. Outside that range it must come indoors before the first frost — treat any outdoor stint as a summer holiday, not a permanent home.
More thick gongora care
In the UK? Keeping thick gongora warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full thick gongora care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.