“How can I set the ideal temperature for indoor plants?”

This is such a common question for plant parents.

As a plant owner, nothing feels better than seeing your indoor plants thrive.

Whether you are keeping your plants as a hobby or as a way to cover up for the minimal green spaces we can access today, you need to know how to take good care of your plants.

For most plants, the correct temperature is a super important factor. 

In this article, we answer some crucial questions such as:

• What is the perfect temperature for indoor plants?
• How cold can house plants tolerate?

Keep reading for these and more details.

Indoor Plants and Temperature

Temperature is the second most vital factor influencing the thriving of plants indoors. It comes second to light.

First things first, most indoor plants are subtropical or tropical plants. They, therefore, can tolerate temperatures ranging from 58 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Note: Most feel people feel comfortable with temperature ranges of 72-82 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, if you set your thermostat well, you and your plants can co-exist comfortably in your house.

The right temperature will help prevent plant death. With temperature and light comes the photosynthesis process, which manufactures sugars and starch. This process supports the growth of new tissues and the maintenance of the existing ones. The sugars and starch are broken down through respiration to produce energy for this process.

Warmer temperatures speed up the respiration process. However, under low light, the plant produces insufficient sugars. In this situation, if you provide your plant with warm temperatures, the low sugars will be broken down, maintaining the plant but impeding further plant growth. If this maintenance cycle continues without growth, the result will be plant death.

How Your Indoor Temperature Affects Your Indoor Plants

There are two main tips to ensure your plants indoors are thriving:

• increase light to increase photosynthesis rate and sugar production,
• lower night temperatures to reduce respiration rate and allow more sugar for plants’ growth.

As you adjust your thermostat, your plants will be either sad or happy with the changes. And you will see the signs of how they are growing.

What is the Ideal Temperature for House Plants?

Many researches give a generalized range for the ideal temperature. This is a sure way to cover most indoor plants, as they are different.

You, however, want to always keep your temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Going below this often results in chill damage in sensitive foliage plants such as:

• Aglaonema,
• Chinese Evergreen

Chill damage is often manifested through leaf discoloration. If you spot yellowing of lower leaves of defoliation, you should be worried about fixing chill damage.

However, the best way to avoid chill damage is to get cool-loving plants if you are in a cold environment. These plants will survive well even if your indoor temperatures drop below 50 degrees at night. And they will love it when the temperatures are in the 60s during the day. They include:

• Cyclamen,
• Fatshedera,
• Japanese Aralia,
• Fatsia,
• Wonder Plant.

To highlight it, the best temperature range for indoor plants is 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Most plants grown indoors will love a temperature of 65-70 degrees during the night.

You, however, must know that not all plants have the exact temperature requirements for optimal growth. For instance, plants such as ferns, Aspidistra and Cast Iron Plant thrive in cooler temperatures of around 72 degrees Fahrenheit.(1)

On the other hand, tropical plants will thrive best at temperatures of up to 90 degrees Fahrenheit to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. These can be insane to have indoors, but you can get almost there.

The secret is, therefore, to adjust your temperature depending on the plants you have.

Signs that Temperature is Incorrect

If you notice any of these, it means that you need to adjust your temperature to accommodate your plants better:

• Flowers wilt quickly: This signifies too high temperatures for the plants.
• Yellowing leaves and falling: If the leaves turn yellow, there was likely a dramatic temperature drop. Plants indoors do not appreciate sudden temperature shifts.
• Lower leaves falling, leaves wilting, and edges turning brown: This is another sign of too high temperatures.
• Rotting stems and roots: This signifies that your plants are too cold. Frost adds excess moisture to the plant, making the stems mushy and eventually rotting the roots and stems.
• Curled and droopy leaves: This is one of the signs plants are too cold. Cold plants lose their rigidity.

Note: These could be signs of incorrect indoor temperatures. However, they could also indicate other problems such as bad light or water. Start by ensuring the temperature is correct before checking other possible problems.

Maintain Perfect temperature for Houseplants Using Smart Climate Control

While setting your thermostat to your comfort, you must also consider your plants. Setting and maintaining the ideal temperature range for your indoor plants can be challenging.

 Have a Smart Thermostat

A great way to save your plants from too hot and cold temperatures would be to use smart climate control.

First, invest in a great programmable thermostat or smart AC controller if you have:

• mini-splits,
• window ACs,
• Portable AC
• and central air conditioner

You can set the daytime temperature range and lower it in your night range. Also, some smart thermostats allow you to connect them with your phone if you are outside. You can constantly adjust the temperatures for your plants while on the move.

This is a sure way to adjust your thermostat when the temperature drops.

Install a Ductless Mini Split

Another top way to have indoor plants thrive is to install a ductless mini split.

This option will serve you well if you have all your plants in one corner or room.

Connecting this ductless mini split to your thermostat will help you quickly set the proper temperature range for your plants.

If you have all your plants in the living room, it is ideal to get a ductless mini split for them. Feel free to contact us for ductless mini splits Santa Clarita Ca. 

What Temperature Is Too Cold for Plants?

Again, this will depend on the plants you have.

Most indoor plants are tropical plants such as ferns and palms. However, a good number of plant parents have succulents such as cacti.

Let us look at what temperature suits these different indoor plants.

How Is Cold Too Cold for Tropical Plants?

Tropical plants such as spider plants, pothos, palms and ferns love cold nights of 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit. You, therefore, need to ensure your cooling equipment is in good order for the summer. A simple search of “AC maintenance near me” just before summer will match you to your local HVAC technician. 

Note: Tropical plants cannot stand chilly nights below 50 degrees.

Anything below 50 degrees will result in stunted growth, resulting in plant death.

Therefore, it is better to secure your plants in a warm place in winter before the temperature drops below 50.

What Temperature Is Too Cold for Succulents?

Cacti and other succulent species are native to deserts and mountain regions.

Therefore, they have a high tolerance to heat and cold temperatures.

However, many of them cannot stand temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, some succulents, such as the fishhook barrel cactus, can tolerate temperatures as low as 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ideal Temperature for Indoor Plants Frequently Asked Questions

We answer some common frequently asked questions to help ensure you set the perfect temperature for your indoor plants.

How Cold is too Cold for House plants?

Many houseplants cannot tolerate prolonged periods of below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Therefore, in your winter plant care routine, ensure these cold temperatures do not hit your house plants.

What temperature is too high for indoor plants?

Depending on the house plants, anything from 75-80 and above can be too high for the indoor plants. This temperature is tolerable for outdoor plants but not for most plants growing indoors. This is because they do not have the same conditions, such as natural light and humidity.

Is 40 degrees Fahrenheit too cold for plants?

Yes, for most indoor plants, anything below 50 is too cold. Getting to 40 is dangerous for your indoor garden(2). This is why you should have your heating equipment in good condition before winter.

A quick search of emergency AC repair Santa Clarita should match you to your local HVAC technician. This is a quick way to ensure your HVAC system remains in good condition to protect your plants even in temperature fluctuations. 

What is the perfect temperature for house plants at night?

55 to 65 degrees is the perfect temperature range for indoor plants at night. Ten degrees hotter will work during the day.

Final Thoughts on Ideal Temperature for Indoor Plants

Most indoor plants are tender plants. You have to show them extra care and love for them to thrive.

They do not have the same conditions as outdoor plants. And they lack adequate light and ideal temperature ranges. You have to play right with your air conditioning for them to thrive. For instance, if you have the plants in your living room, you have to make sure to set your living room AC to cater to your plants during the night and as you go to bed at night.

This is a sure way to always have a happy indoor garden. For more questions contact HVAC Santa Clarita for ac repairs, installations and heating services.

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