11 Houseplants That Don’t Like Being Brought Outdoors

It can seem like a good idea to take houseplants outside in the summer, but not all plants like the change in environment. Some of the plants you want to keep inside are susceptible to things like direct sunshine, changes in temperature, pests, and wind. These pressures can damage fragile leaves, slow development, or even kill the plant. Knowing which houseplants like the consistency of indoor settings can help keep them healthy and alive for a long time.

Some species like to spend time outside in the sun, whereas others are just interior dwellers who do best in regulated surroundings. This article talks about 11 houseplants that don’t want to be outside. If you have any of them, it’s usually best to keep them indoors all year. Plant owners may prevent frequent blunders that cause leaves to droop or growth to slow down by knowing what their plants need. Let’s talk about which houseplants should stay inside where they belong to stay healthy and look good.

1. Peace Lily

The peace lily is a popular houseplant because it has beautiful white flowers and cleans the air, but it doesn’t fare well outside. This plant does best when the temperature inside is between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the light is moderate and indirect. Wind, rapid variations in temperature, and variable humidity levels can all stress it out when it is outside, even in the shade. Direct sunlight can make the leaves turn brown or burn, which is extremely bad for them.

Aphids and spider mites are also more common outside, and they may easily infest peace lilies, which will make them even worse. These plants also don’t like it when the watering schedule or the soil conditions change, which happens more outside than indoors. Peace lilies need a stable indoor atmosphere to be healthy and bloom. So, to keep your peace lily looking its best, it’s best to not give in to the need to move it outside, even for a short time.

2. Spider Plant

Spider plants can live indoors and adapt well, but they don’t perform well outside. They can handle a lot of different indoor environments, but being outside can soon cause difficulties. Their fragile leaves can get burned by bright sunshine, which can make the tips turn brown or the color fade. Putting them outside also makes them more likely to get shocked by dips in temperature at night, even in the summer. Spider plants need continuous care to grow well, but the changing light and moisture levels outside might make that hard.

Also, aphids and mealybugs are more numerous outside and can quickly hurt the plant’s health. These plants don’t appreciate being hit by strong winds or heavy rains, which might damage their arching leaves. Spider plants do best inside, where you can manage the light, humidity, and temperature. Keeping them inside will help them thrive for a long time and make healthy, vibrant offshoots that don’t have to deal with stress from the outside.

3. Snake Plant

People enjoy the snake plant, which is also called Sansevieria or mother-in-law’s tongue, since it is easy to care for and looks great in any room. It can handle a lot of different light situations, although intense sunshine outside can burn its tall, erect leaves. This plant does best in a regulated indoor environment where the temperature and humidity stay about the same. Putting it outside makes it more likely to get sudden changes in the weather, such as rain and wind, which might kill the roots or knock the plant over completely.

Also, the dirt in outdoor pots may not drain evenly or stay wet when it rains, which might harm the snake plant’s roots, which are sensitive to moisture. When the plant is kept outside, it is also more prone to getting pests and fungal illnesses. The snake plant does best when it is left alone in its customary place inside, unlike other tough plants. It cleans the air and doesn’t need much maintenance, which makes it great for indoor living, where it can be watched more closely.

4. ZZ Plant

The ZZ plant, which has shiny green leaves and can grow in low light, is another type of plant that doesn’t perform well outside. It can live inside even if you don’t take care of it, but it can’t endure the changing weather outside. It’s hard to keep this plant outside since it likes consistent temps and indirect light. Too much sun can burn its leaves, and rapid changes in temperature or heavy rain can shock its roots.

Also, the ZZ Plant’s rhizomes, which hold water, can rot if they are in soil that is too wet or has bad drainage, which is typical outside. Wind and bugs can also stress the plant, which might cause it to lose leaves or get sick. The ZZ Plant may look tough, but it does best in a stable indoor setting where you can easily manage the light, moisture, and temperature. For this reason, it’s best to keep your ZZ plant inside, where it may keep growing slowly but surely with little trouble.

5. Pothos

People love pothos, sometimes called Devil’s Ivy, since it has long vines that may grow in low-light areas. However, it doesn’t fare well outside. This plant likes steady indoor conditions and indirect sunshine; thus, it doesn’t fare well with temperature changes, bright sunlight, or high humidity outside. The leaves may become yellow or burn when they are outside, especially if they are in full sunlight for a long time. Scale and spider mites are two outdoor parasites that may quickly degrade pothos.

The inside of the house stays the same all the time, which helps it keep its lush, green look. Rain and wind outside can hurt the fragile plants or make the soil dry out or get too wet in ways that are hard to foresee. It could be tempting to put a pothos basket outside to add more plants, but it’s safer to keep this tropical beauty inside, where you can better regulate how you care for it and avoid stress or harm.

6. Calathea

People love calatheas because of their beautiful leaves with complicated designs, but they are quite picky and don’t fare well in the outdoors. These tropical plants need certain levels of humidity and indirect light to keep their leaves healthy and colorful. When plants are outside, the sun may bleach their leaves, and the wind can tear them apart. Leaves can curl, turn brown, or droop if the temperature or humidity varies even a little. Calatheas don’t fare well in dry air or when the weather changes quickly, which happens a lot outside.

They thrive best in soil that is equally moist and has a lot of humidity, which is simpler to get and keep inside the house. Also, external pests may easily get inside a Calathea and destroy its look. For all these reasons, calatheas are far better suited inside, where their demands for the environment can always be addressed. Keeping them inside keeps their gorgeous leaves healthy, full, and fun to look at.

7. Philodendron

People adore philodendrons as houseplants because they have beautiful leaves and are easy to care for indoors. However, they don’t fare well outside. It’s challenging to recreate the constant temps, high humidity, and indirect light that these plants like outside. If the leaves get too much direct sunlight, they can burn. If the weather changes a lot, such as when it gets unexpectedly chilly at night or when strong winds blow, the leaves can fall off or the plant will stop growing.

The soil outside may dry up too rapidly or hold too much water, both of which are bad for the health of the plant’s roots. Also, pests like mealybugs and whiteflies are more prone to attack when the plant is outside. Philodendrons require a stable environment to grow, and the indoors provides that. Their beauty is best retained inside, where it’s easier to care for them, whether they’re climbing or trailing. Keeping a philodendron indoors all year is, without a doubt, the best and most gratifying decision for its health and longevity.

8. Fiddle Leaf Fig

The fiddle-leaf fig is a fashionable and dramatic houseplant, but it doesn’t fare well outside since it is very sensitive to change. These plants don’t want to be relocated and have a hard time getting used to new environments. The plant’s fragile root system may be shocked by the colder nighttime temperatures, and the strong sunshine might burn the leaves. The big leaves can get damaged by strong winds or rain, which can make the plant look sick or ragged. Insects and fungal diseases are also more likely to happen outside, and they can rapidly make the Fiddle Leaf Fig sick.

Changes in light and humidity, even little ones, can cause leaves to fall off or growth to stop. This plant does best when it is maintained inside in a place with good light and stable circumstances and when it is watered carefully. If you love plants and want your fiddle-leaf fig to flourish to its full, beautiful potential, the best and safest thing to do is keep it inside.

9. Monstera

People like Monstera plants, often known as Swiss Cheese Plants, because of their big, perforated leaves, but they don’t fare well outside. They need strong, indirect light, but direct sunlight can damage their leaves and leave ugly brown spots. The plant has to deal with more problems outside, such as changing temperatures, severe rains, and insect infestations, all of which might slow its development.

If you water your monstera too much, its roots might get hurt. It’s also hard to keep the soil moisture levels steady outside. Also, the wind can rip the wide leaves, and the humidity might not be right for the plant’s tropical demands. You can make the light, temperature, and humidity just right for the Monstera when it’s inside. Keeping the plant indoors also keeps bugs and fungus from bothering it. In general, if you want to enjoy a healthy Monstera with lovely leaves, it’s preferable to keep it indoors where you can regulate the atmosphere.

10. Bromeliad

With their colorful, rosette-shaped blooms and luxuriant leaves, bromeliads provide a tropical touch to any room, but they don’t perform well outside. These plants perform best in warm, humid interior spaces with indirect light and regular attention. Putting a bromeliad outside might expose it to strong sunlight, which can burn the leaves and fade the bright bracts. Stress from temperature changes, even at night in the summer, can make leaves droop or turn brown.

Too much rain or wind can hurt their structure, and too much rain can cause root rot or centers that are too damp, which are quite bad for these kinds of plants. If you leave bromeliads outside, they can potentially get bugs, notably snails, slugs, and mites. They do much better when you put them indoors in a light position where you can manage the temperature and water. If you want your bromeliad to endure a long time and be healthy, don’t put it outside. Instead, enjoy its beauty from inside your house.

11. Anthurium

People adore anthuriums because their leaves are lustrous and their blossoms are bright and heart-shaped, but they can’t live outside. These tropical plants want it warm, humid, and steady, with bright, indirect light. All of these things are more likely to be found inside. The fragile leaves might get burned by direct sunshine, and the blossoms can fade too soon. The air outside might be too dry or too moist, and changes in temperature can shock the plant’s roots. Rain and wind might hurt the plant or cause it to have fungal diseases and decay.

Thrips and spider mites are two types of insects that are more common outside and may quickly take over an Anthurium. These plants don’t like it when the humidity changes quickly, either, because it might mess up their flowering cycle. Anthuriums do best inside since they need to keep their leaves shiny and their flowers blooming all the time. This beautiful houseplant will stay healthy, bloom, and be a great addition to your home decor if you keep the interior atmosphere well-controlled.

Last Thought

It can seem like a good idea to give your houseplants some fresh air, but not all of them like the change. Some houseplants just can’t handle the harsh weather outside. Many of our favorite indoor plants only fare well in steady surroundings, so they can’t handle changing temps, harsh sunshine, or insect infestations.

To keep your house lush and green and safeguard the health of your plants, you need to know which ones should stay inside. To make sure these fragile species thrive, keep them in the warmth of your home.

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