Plant care
Wolffia arrhizatemperature & humidity
Wolffia arrhiza
More about wolffia arrhiza
Ideal temperature for wolffia arrhiza
Wolffia arrhiza is comfortable in any room a person is comfortable in, roughly 10 to 33°C (50 to 91°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
Wolffia arrhiza is comparatively hardy (USDA 6-10 (sinks and overwinters as turions in colder water), RHS H4). 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 wolffia arrhiza
Wolffia arrhiza sits happiest at around Not applicable relative humidity. A floating aquatic surface plant — ambient humidity has no bearing on it. It requires open still water rather than moist air. 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.
Wolffia arrhiza temperature & humidity — frequently asked questions
What temperature is best for wolffia arrhiza?
Wolffia arrhiza grows best between 10 to 33°C (50 to 91°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 wolffia arrhiza tolerate?
Wolffia arrhiza starts to suffer below roughly 10°C. It tolerates a cold dormant period within USDA 6-10 (sinks and overwinters as turions in colder water), but a wet cold root zone is more dangerous than cold air.
What humidity does wolffia arrhiza need?
Wolffia arrhiza prefers about Not applicable relative humidity. A floating aquatic surface plant — ambient humidity has no bearing on it. It requires open still water rather than moist air.
How do I raise humidity for wolffia arrhiza?
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 wolffia arrhiza live outside?
Wolffia arrhiza is rated for USDA zone 6-10 (sinks and overwinters as turions in colder water) and RHS hardiness H4. 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 wolffia arrhiza care
In the UK? Keeping wolffia arrhiza warm in a UK home covers the radiator, single-glazing and heating-season humidity angle. Temperature and humidity are one piece. See the full wolffia arrhiza care guide, its cold-hardiness guide, and watering schedule — humidity and watering problems are easy to confuse.