UK temperature
Keeping jerusalem artichoke warm in a UK home
Helianthus tuberosus 'Fuseau'
More about jerusalem artichoke in the UK
The UK home, in plant terms
A typical UK home creates two opposite micro-problems at the same time. Radiator-driven heating spikes the air temperature and crashes humidity in the rooms where people actually sit; the older the housing stock the more likely a single-glazed window pane is sitting at near-freezing in January with a houseplant against it. Cold unheated bedrooms, north-facing rooms and conservatories without heating run far cooler than the thermostat suggests, and the British winter gives the lowest indoor daylight in any of Growli's markets. Jerusalem Artichoke tolerates a wider band, but the worst-case UK winter placement (a cold single-glazed pane plus a hot dry radiator below it) still stresses it through repeated drying and chilling.
The actual numbers
Ideally jerusalem artichoke sits between 18-26°C. (That is 65-80°F in Fahrenheit.) No special humidity needs; thrives in normal outdoor conditions. Good airflow reduces the risk of powdery mildew on the tall foliage late in the season. Watch for the room dropping below about 18°C overnight — common in UK unheated bedrooms in January, and the point where growth stalls and leaves chill-mark.
For the RHS hardiness side of this, see is jerusalem artichoke hardy in the UK? (rating RHS H6, sourced from the RHS rating system). For the US/USDA framing of the same numbers, see the jerusalem artichoke temperature guide.
Winter placement in a UK home
For jerusalem artichoke through a UK winter, three placement rules clear up most problems: 1) keep it at least a hand's width back from the window pane on single-glazed or very cold double-glazed glass, especially overnight when curtains close behind the plant; 2) keep it out of the direct vertical updraft above a radiator — that column of hot dry air browns leaf tips even on tolerant species; 3) judge by the room you can actually feel, not the central thermostat — many UK rooms run several degrees below the hall reading in winter. Humidity drops to roughly 25–35% in a heated UK living room; a pebble tray, grouping with other plants, or a small humidifier puts that back to a level houseplants actually like.
Jerusalem Artichoke temperature in the UK — frequently asked questions
What temperature does jerusalem artichoke need in the UK?
Jerusalem Artichoke prefers 18-26°C (65-80°F). The British issue is rarely the average — it is the extremes: a cold single-glazed window in January, the hot dry air directly above a radiator, or a north-facing unheated room that runs far cooler than the hall thermostat.
Will jerusalem artichoke survive a cold UK winter room?
Jerusalem Artichoke tolerates a wider winter band — see its RHS rating H6. Below about 18°C growth stalls; cold-wet roots, not cold air, are usually what kills it indoors.
Can jerusalem artichoke go on a UK windowsill in winter?
On a single-glazed or very cold pane, no — overnight the leaves pressed against the glass can drop below the plant's comfort band, especially behind drawn curtains. A small gap (a hand's width back) or thicker thermal curtains in front of the plant fixes it, and modern double-glazing usually solves it outright.
Does UK radiator-driven heating dry jerusalem artichoke out?
Yes — UK living rooms typically run at around 25–35% relative humidity in winter. That is well below what most houseplants prefer. Jerusalem Artichoke tolerates this better than the calathea-and-fern family, but a pebble tray or grouping plants still helps.
What temperature range does jerusalem artichoke actually like?
18-26°C is the comfortable band (65-80°F in Fahrenheit for reference). That covers normal UK living-room temperatures all year; the work is making sure cold pockets (windowsills, unheated rooms) and hot pockets (radiator updrafts) do not push it outside that band.
More jerusalem artichoke care
See the full jerusalem artichoke care guide, its UK watering (hard vs soft tap water), and UK hardiness.