A Houseplant Expert Reveals Which Plants Are Most Vulnerable to Indoor Heating – and the Simple Way to Protect Them

While the garden settles down for winter, our indoor plants still need plenty of attention. From overwatering to reduced daylight, there are several seasonal challenges to navigate. One that often gets overlooked is indoor heating.

While many indoor plant parents know to protect their plants from cold drafts, Justin Hancock, horticulturist at Costa Farms and author of the upcoming book The New Complete Guide to Houseplants (available to pre-order from Amazon), warns that turning on the heat can bring a different challenge. Warm, dry air can dehydrate plants, cause yellowing leaves, pest problems, and even plant death – and Justin reveals houseplants with thinner leaves are among those most at risk.

Speaking to Homes & Gardens, he explains why thin-leaved plants are particularly vulnerable, which houseplants to look out for, and how to protect them in winter (don't forget to have your houseplant care kit to hand).

The Danger of Heating

Winter houseplant care can be easy to neglect, particularly when plants aren't showing many signs of growth. However, this doesn't mean they should be ignored – winter is the time to pay attention to challenging indoor conditions that put your plants at risk.

'We tend to think of our homes as being a consistent environment and disconnected from the outside world, but this isn't true,' Justin says. 'The biggest thing is that the light and temperature change in winter,' he explains.

Justin points out that houseplants experience much more sudden temperature changes indoors than in their natural environment, particularly when exposed to direct heat. This can cause heat stress, dehydration, and yellowing and crisping leaves.

'If you have a plant next to a fireplace or a heating vent, the air coming out of there is so much warmer because it has to heat the room, and it can be stressful on the plant,' he explains.

Prolonged exposure to this dry air can even create ideal conditions for houseplant pests (particularly spider mites) putting your houseplant at even greater risk.

'As our heaters go on, we see spider mites reproduce a little bit faster. An egg can hatch into an adult, mature, and lay more eggs all in just seven days. So if you're really not monitoring it, those populations explode fast,' Justin notes.

But this doesn't mean you need to keep your heating off to protect your houseplants. Instead, it's about managing their environment carefully, especially for those most vulnerable.

Which Houseplants Are Most at Risk?

'As a general rule, the thinner the leaf, the more delicate a plant tends to be. So, plants like your ferns and calatheas are going to be a little bit more temperamental to those type of environment changes,' Justin explains.

Plants with fleshy, waxy leaves, such as succulents, ZZ plants, and snake plants, tend to store more water in their foliage, helping them cope better with drier periods. In contrast, plants with thinner leaves have less capacity to retain moisture, making them more susceptible to water loss when exposed to the dry air caused by indoor heating.

These are some of the houseplants most at risk:

• Ferns
• Calatheas
• Peace lily
• Prayer plant
• Ivy
• Polka dot plant
• Nerve plant

Justin Hancock

Justin is Costa Farms Horticulturist with 25+ years in the industry. A plant enthusiast and educator, he has a degree in horticultural science and has worked in garden centers and botanical gardens, as a garden designer, and in garden publishing. He has experience gardening across the country, from Minnesota to Oregon to Miami. Hancock is also co-host of the Costa Farms podcast Plant Rx. His book, The New Complete Guide to Houseplants comes out December 1 2026.

How to Protect Them

To protect houseplants from central heating, Justin says the solution is simple.

'It's best to watch the draft sources, both cold and warm. Pay attention to things like your heating vent and where the air is coming out. That can often be as simple as moving your plant just a tiny bit so it's no longer in the path of the air.

'If you have a fireplace, the mantle could be a terrible place for a houseplant, even though it looks beautiful there,' he adds.

A room thermometer (like this from Walmart) can help monitor temperatures more accurately. Generally speaking, 60-75°F is the sweet spot for the majority of plants.

Watering correctly during can also help with moisture management and ensure your houseplants don't become dehydrated or oversaturated. A soil moisture meter (like this from Amazon) is essential for this, giving you an instant reading to determine if your plant needs watering.

Likewise, increasing humidity for indoor plants can help counter dry winter air. You can move plants close together, use a pebble humidity tray, or a portable humidifier (like this from Walmart).

What to Shop

It's important to also protect your houseplants from cold temperatures this season, as cold damage can likewise weaken plants. Luckily there are plenty of ways to keep houseplants warm in winter without relying on harsh heaters. Burlap (like this from Amazon), for example, is a breathable material that can be used to insulate plant pots in particularly chilly rooms.

If you love inspiring garden ideas, outdoor advice, and the latest news, why not sign up for our newsletter and get the latest features delivered straight to your inbox?