Pothos can live outside in summer across most of the U.S. if temperatures stay above 50°F at night and the plant stays in shade, but the rules change depending on your hardiness zone.
Moving a houseplant outside in summer feels risky, but pothos handles the transition well when you get the timing and conditions right. The plant is native to tropical South Pacific forests, where it climbs tree trunks under a dense canopy—bright indirect light, high humidity, and warm temperatures are its natural habitat. That means a shady porch or a spot under a tree works beautifully. Putting it in direct sun or moving it out too early in spring are the two mistakes that kill it fastest. Here is exactly what to do, where it can stay year-round, and when you need to bring it back in.
What Temperatures Can Pothos Tolerate Outdoors?
Pothos needs warm conditions and cannot handle freezing or near-freezing weather. The minimum safe temperature is 50°F (10°C) overnight, though the plant will start showing stress below 60°F. Prolonged exposure to temperatures below 50°F can severely stunt growth or kill the plant. The ideal outdoor range is 65–85°F (18–29°C) during the day, with high humidity.
In the continental U.S., this means most people treat pothos as a seasonal outdoor plant—put it out after the last spring frost and bring it back indoors before fall temperatures drop. Only in USDA hardiness zones 10–12 (coastal California, southern Florida, Hawaii) can pothos live outside year-round. In colder zones, it will not survive winter outdoors under any conditions.
How To Move Pothos Outdoors Without Shocking It
Indoor plants are adapted to stable, low-light conditions, and direct sun or cold drafts outside can damage leaves within hours. Hardening off prevents that shock.
Start the process when overnight lows are consistently above 50°F—do not rely on daytime warmth alone. Place the pothos in a fully shaded, sheltered spot (a covered porch or under a patio table works) for 3–4 days. After that, move it to its final outdoor location, which should still have filtered or dappled light. A spot under a shade tree, on a north-facing porch, or under a patio roof that receives only morning sun is ideal. The entire transition should take about a week.
after the transition, the leaves stay firm and green with no brown or bleached patches. If you see sunscald, move the plant deeper into shade immediately.
Where To Put Pothos Outside: Light, Shelter, and Containers
The outdoor location matters more than the plant variety. Three rules cover 90% of the setup:
- Light: bright indirect light or partial shade only. Full sun, even for a few hours, scorches the leaves. Morning sun with afternoon shade works; south- or west-facing exposure without shade does not.
- Shelter: protect from hard rain and strong wind, which can break stems or tip the pot. A spot near a wall or under an eave reduces wind damage.
- Container: use a pot with drainage holes. Do not let the pot sit in a saucer of water—outdoor saucers collect rainwater and attract mosquitoes. Elevate the pot with pot feet or a plant stand to keep the drain holes clear.
The table below compares your outdoor options by risk profile, so you can match the spot to your specific yard.
| Light Exposure | Growth & Color | Scorch/Tip Burn Risk | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full sun (6+ hrs direct) | Stunted, leaves turn pale yellow or brown | Very high within hours | Never use |
| Bright indirect (filtered tree canopy, north side) | Fast growth, deep green leaves with strong variegation | Low | Primary choice |
| Morning sun only (east-facing porch) | Good growth, slight sun-stress may boost variegation colors | Moderate, watch afternoon | Second choice |
| Full shade (covered porch, no direct sun at all) | Slower growth, leaves may become darker solid green | None | Safe fallback |
| Hot reflected heat (south wall, pavement nearby) | Leaves wilt, edges crisp even in shade | High | Avoid entirely |
Is Pothos Invasive If Planted Outdoors?
In several warm-climate regions, especially Florida and parts of the Gulf Coast, Epipremnum aureum is classified as an invasive exotic plant because it escapes cultivation, climbs trees, and shades out native vegetation. Wisconsin Horticulture’s published species profile notes pothos has naturalized in tropical areas outside its native range and is considered invasive in some places.
Do not plant pothos directly into garden soil in warm, humid zones, and check your local extension service’s invasive-plant list if you are in zone 10–12. Container culture—keeping the pot on a patio or deck rather than sinking it into the ground—eliminates the risk of the plant rooting into the landscape. This also makes it easy to bring the plant back indoors in fall.
Watering Pothos Outside: The Differences From Indoors
Outdoor conditions dry out soil much faster than indoor living rooms. Wind, direct sunlight on the pot, and hotter ambient temperatures all pull moisture from the soil more quickly.
Check the soil every 2–3 days by sticking your finger into the pot up to the second knuckle. Water thoroughly when the top inch feels dry. During heat waves or windy dry spells, that may mean watering every day. Always water until it runs out the drainage holes—do not give small sips. The same “less is more” indoor logic does not apply once the plant is outside; underwatering during a dry stretch causes wilting and leaf drop much faster than a missed indoor watering. If the weather turns rainy, stop watering entirely until the soil dries again, and tilt the saucer or remove it so the roots never sit in standing water.
| Weather Scenario | Watering Frequency | What To Watch For |
|---|---|---|
| Cool, overcast week (60s°F) | Once every 5–7 days | Soil stays damp longer; reduce frequency |
| Warm, humid (70s–80s°F) | Every 2–4 days | Top inch dries quickly; water promptly |
| Hot, dry, or windy (85°F+) | Daily or every other day | Leaves may wilt midday even if soil is damp; check again at dusk |
| Heavy rain for 2+ days | None, protect from pooling | Add a saucer tilt or pot feet to prevent root rot |
When To Bring Pothos Back Indoors
The same temperature threshold that governed moving it out also governs moving it back in. Bring the plant indoors when overnight lows are forecast to fall below 50°F in your area, which usually means late September or early October for most of the U.S. Do not leave it out until frost threatens—cold damage shows up as blackened, mushy leaves that appear within 24 hours of a cold night.
Before bringing it inside, inspect the plant thoroughly for pests. Check the undersides of leaves and the crotches between stems for spider mites, aphids, or scale. Rinse the leaves with a strong spray of water from the hose, and let the pot drain fully before bringing it into the house. This prevents hitching a ride for outdoor pests into your indoor plant collection. Place it in its regular indoor spot, and resume the standard indoor watering schedule—the shift back indoors will cause some leaf drop for the first week, which is normal.
One final note: do not wait until the forecast shows a frost warning. The first cold snap in fall moves faster than most weather apps predict, and a single night below 40°F can collapse an entire pothos. Moving it indoors on a warm, dry day in early fall costs nothing but eliminates that risk entirely.
References & Sources
- Wisconsin Horticulture Extension. “Pothos, Epipremnum aureum.” Publishes the species profile, invasive-note, and temperature guidelines used in this piece.