Guide
Buying plants online in winter
Cold-weather shipping, shop by shop, and what to do when the box arrives
By the Plantshop.com Editorial Team · Updated · How we research · Report an error
You can order houseplants in winter, but a box sitting on a cold truck or porch can kill a tropical plant even without frost. Order from a shop that packs for the cold, pay for the faster shipping when it is freezing, and open the box the moment it arrives.
The short version
- The 50°F rule: most tropical foliage plants can be injured below about 50°F (10°C), well above freezing. University of Florida IFAS calls this chilling injury.
- Check the shop's winter policy before you pay. Some include a heat pack, some charge for it, and some won't replace cold-damaged plants unless you bought winter packaging.
- Avoid weekend transit and choose the fastest shipping you can when daytime highs at your door are near freezing.
- Be home for delivery, unbox right away, and photograph any damage within the shop's guarantee window.
Winter shipping policies compared
What each shop says on its own site (checked 7 November 2026). Policies change through the season, so confirm at checkout.
| Shop | Winter packaging | Holds orders in severe cold? | If the plant arrives cold-damaged | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Sill | $5 cold weather packaging (sleeve and heat pack) on orders to colder states | May hold your order until it is safe to ship, and emails you | Covered by its 30-day guarantee: send a photo | Policy |
| Lively Root | Winter packaging with a thermal protective sleeve | May hold orders during severe cold | 30 Day Happiness Guarantee: photo of plant and box within 30 days | Policy |
| Logee's | Priority Mail in winter; insulated box with a heat pack at no extra charge on FedEx 2-day or overnight | Holds orders when it is too cold even for insulated shipping (it says the method protects down to about 18°F daytime highs) | Asks you to contact it immediately if a package freezes | Policy |
| Steve's Leaves | Paid Winter Shipping Assurance add-on: weather checks, heat packs, special packing, chosen ship days | Ship days chosen only with the add-on | Cold-damaged plants are not replaced if the add-on was not bought | Policy |
| Costa Farms | Shipping and a heat pack are included in the plant price | Not published | Support ticket for a refund if the plant arrives in poor condition, including after extreme temperatures | Policy |
| Rooted (Hey Rooted) | Optional Winter Packaging add-on in cold regions | Not published on the pages we could open | Its help center says the guarantee does not cover cold damage if you opt out of Winter Packaging | Policy |
Perfect Plants Nursery and Gabriella Plants: we could not find a published winter shipping policy, so ask before ordering. Gabriella Plants says it ships to avoid weekends in transit. Compare guarantees and free-shipping minimums in shop policies compared.
Before you order
- Look at the forecast at your address for the next 3 to 5 days, not just today. The box also passes through colder hubs on the way.
- Pick plants that cope better with a cool trip. Thick-leaved plants such as ZZ plant, snake plant and cast iron plant are usually safer bets than thin-leaved tropicals such as calathea or Chinese evergreen. UF/IFAS notes that Aglaonema is often visibly injured at 50°F.
- Add the winter packaging if the shop offers it and your area is cold. At some shops it is the only way the guarantee covers cold damage.
- Order early in the week so the parcel doesn't sit in a depot over the weekend, and use a delivery address where someone is in, such as your workplace.
When the box arrives
- Open it straight away and let the plant sit at room temperature, out of drafts and away from heaters.
- Photograph the plant and the box before you remove packing, especially if leaves look wet, dark or limp. Most guarantees ask for a photo within a set number of days.
- Don't repot or feed it for a couple of weeks, and water only if the soil is dry.
- Watch for damage over the next few days. Chilling injury can show up later as water-soaked patches, wilting, or browning that starts at leaf tips and edges, according to UF/IFAS. Report it inside the guarantee window even if it appears after day one.
Sending a plant as a holiday gift?
Gift orders often sit unopened. Tell the recipient it is coming, pick a weekday delivery, and choose a tougher plant. See plants that make good gifts and plant delivery options.
Sources
- UF/IFAS Extension EDIS EP429: chilling injury in tropical foliage plants
- Shop policy pages linked in the table above (checked 7 November 2026)