Can Plants Die from Heat in the Car? Protect and Revive Them

“Can plants die from heat in the car?” is a question many people ask. Yes, they can die, and it happens faster than you might think. The extreme heat inside a parked car can damage or even kill your plants.

But don’t worry. I’ll show you how to protect your plants from the heat. Moreover, I’m sharing how to revive them if they’ve been left in a hot car.

Keep reading to save your leafy friends from a hot, stuffy vehicle disaster!

Key Points

• Yes, plants can die from heat in the car due to dehydration, heat stress, and root damage.
• Heat causes plants to lose water quickly, leading to wilting and dehydration.
• Some plants, like succulents and cacti, tolerate heat better than others.
• You can protect plants from heat by keeping them in the shade and monitoring the temperature.
• Move plants to a cooler spot and water them immediately if they’ve been left in a hot car.
• Use misting and proper ventilation to help plants recover from heat exposure.

Can Plants Die from Heat in the Car? (Crucial Details)

Yes, plants can die from heat in a car. When a car is parked in direct sunlight, the inside can get extremely hot, sometimes over 100°F (38°C) in just a few minutes. This kind of heat is bad for plants. It causes them to dry out, wilt, and suffer from heat stress.

If plants stay in such conditions for too long, they can get seriously damaged and even die.

So, how does heat affect plants in a car? Let’s have a look:

Dehydration: Loss of Water

When it’s hot inside a car, plants lose water much faster than usual. The heat forces the moisture in the soil and leaves to evaporate quickly. This can make the plant wilt and look droopy.

The dry, hot air inside the car speeds up this process. If the plant can’t get enough water, it starts to dehydrate. According to Mahmoud F. Seleiman in Plants (Basel), plants are unable to move nutrients when water is insufficient. When this happens, leaves will start to wrinkle.

That’s not it. In Nature, it’s mentioned that stressed roots are unable to absorb water properly.

Over time, if the plant doesn’t get water, the plant can dry out completely and die. It’s like how we feel thirsty on a hot day—plants need water to stay alive too!

Heat Stress

Plants can get heat stress if they are in a hot car for too long. This happens because extreme heat damages the plant’s cells.

Just like when our skin burns from too much sun, the plant’s cells get hurt, and this affects how they work.

The Int Journal of Molecular Sciences explains that heat stress decreases water absorption by roots. This can intensify dehydration and nutrient deficiencies.

Such plants won’t be able to grow well, and they may even stop making their food through photosynthesis. This makes the plant weak and sick.

That’s not it. Sharma B. writes in Annals of Biology that heat stress boosts the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), causing damage to plant cells.

Another research says that Heat stress can harm chlorophyll, resulting in leaves turning yellow or brown.

Moreover, according to NCBI, heat stress can also lead to leaf wilting. Why? Because plants lose water more quickly than they can absorb it.

If the heat stress goes on for too long, the plant will struggle to survive.

Root Damage

The roots of a plant are like its foundation. They absorb water and nutrients from the soil. But when a plant is in a hot car, the pot it’s in can heat up fast.

Small pots get hot even faster because they don’t have much soil to protect the roots. This high temperature can burn the roots, and once the roots are damaged, the plant can’t get enough water or nutrients.

This root damage makes the plant more likely to die.

Lack of Air Circulation

Cars are closed spaces, and they don’t have much fresh air inside when parked. Plants need fresh air to breathe. In a hot car, the air can become stale, and without proper air circulation, the plant can’t get the oxygen it needs for respiration.

Respiration is how plants breathe and stay alive. Without enough fresh air, the plant will struggle to function properly, and over time, it can start to wilt and eventually die.

The heat makes everything worse because it speeds up the plant’s breathing process. As a result, plants lose energy faster.

5 Signs of Heat Stress in Plants: Know Them

Signs of heat stress in plants include:

• Wilting
• Dry or scorched leaf edges
• Yellowing leaves
• Stunted growth
• Brown, crispy patches on leaves.

These are clear indicators that a plant is struggling with extreme heat.

Wilting or Drooping Leaves

Wilting or drooping leaves are one of the first signs that a plant is stressed from heat. This happens because the plant is losing water too quickly and can’t keep its leaves hydrated. When plants lose too much water, they start to look limp.

If a plant continues to wilt without getting water or cooler temperatures, it might not recover and could eventually die.

Dry or Scorched Leaf Edges

If the heat inside the car is very strong, the edges of the plant’s leaves might start to dry out and look brown or crispy. This is because the plant can’t get enough water to all its parts. The leaf edges are usually the first to show damage.

Yellowing Leaves

Another sign of heat stress is when the leaves start turning yellow. This happens because the plant can’t make its food properly when it’s too hot. Photosynthesis, the process plants use to make food from sunlight, water, and air, slows down or stops when the plant is overheated.

Without enough food, the plant can’t stay healthy, and the leaves begin to yellow. This is a sign the plant is in trouble.

Stunted Growth or Lack of New Growth

Plants need the right conditions to grow, and when it’s too hot, growth can slow down or stop altogether. If a plant has been in a hot car for too long, you might notice that it’s not growing any new leaves or shoots.

This is because the plant’s energy is being used just to survive in the heat, rather than to grow.

Brown, Crispy Patches on the Leaves

If the heat damage gets worse, you might start seeing brown, crispy patches on the leaves. These patches are where the plant’s cells have been damaged by the extreme heat.

Once these parts of the leaves turn brown, they won’t recover. The plant is trying to protect itself. But if the heat exposure continues, more leaves will turn brown and crispy, and the plant may die.

How to Protect Plants from Heat in a Car? Easy Tips

To protect plants from heat in a car, keep them in the shade, avoid parking in direct sunlight, cover the plants, use a fan, and move them into the car last. Always monitor the temperature and water them before traveling.

Keep Plants in the Shade

One of the best ways to protect plants from heat is to keep them in the shade. If you have to leave plants in the car for a short time, make sure they’re not in direct sunlight.

Park the car in a shady spot or use a sunshade to block the sun. This will help keep the car cooler and prevent the plants from getting too hot.

Avoid Parking in Direct Sunlight

If you need to leave your plants in the car, always avoid parking in direct sunlight. Cars can heat up quickly when they’re parked in the sun, especially on hot days. Even if you leave the windows open a little bit, the car will still get hot.

It’s better to park in the shade or inside a garage to keep the plants safe.

Cover the Plants

You can protect your plants from the heat by covering them with a light cloth or a towel. This acts like a shield. It can block some of the heat and help the plants stay cooler.

Just like how we wear hats or use umbrellas to block the sun, covering plants can give them some protection from the intense heat in a car.

Use a Fan

If you have a small fan that you can plug into your car, this can help move air around and keep the plants cooler. A little air circulation can go a long way in making sure the heat doesn’t get trapped inside the car.

You can place the fan near the plants to give them some airflow, which helps them breathe better.

Move Plants Last

When you’re transporting plants in your car, it’s best to load them last. This way, they don’t spend too much time sitting in the car while you get everything else ready.

The less time they spend in the car, the better their chances of staying cool.

Monitor the Temperature

When transporting plants in a car, it’s important to keep an eye on the temperature inside. You can use a car thermometer to check how hot it is getting. If the temperature starts to rise above 86°F (29°C), the plants could start to suffer.

By keeping track of how hot it is inside the car, you can know when it’s time to move the plants out and into a cooler space. This small step can make a big difference in saving your plants from overheating.

Water Plants Before Travel

Watering your plants before putting them in the car is a great way to help them stay hydrated during the trip. Plants that have enough water can handle heat a little better. The moisture in the soil helps keep the roots cool and gives the plant something to draw from when it gets too hot.

Just be careful not to overwater them before travel, as you don’t want water spilling in the car. A light watering should be enough to keep them from drying out during the journey.

Create a Ventilation Gap

Leaving a small gap in the car window can help keep the air flowing and prevent the inside of the car from becoming a hot, stuffy space.

Even a tiny bit of fresh air can make a difference in the temperature. This little trick allows the heat to escape, making the environment less harmful to your plants.

However, be careful not to leave the window open too much, as this might invite unwanted things like bugs or rain inside.

Move Plants into the House or Shade Quickly

As soon as you reach your destination, it’s important to move the plants out of the car and into a cooler, shaded area right away. The faster you get them out of the heat, the better chance they have of recovering from any heat stress they experienced during the trip.

Don’t leave the plants in the car any longer than necessary. The car can still be warm even after it’s parked, so getting the plants out quickly helps protect them from further heat exposure.

Heat can cause all sorts of problems for plants, just like it can affect tomatoes. Learn why tomatoes turn green inside and how to fix the issue.

Can Different Types of Plants Tolerate Heat Better Inside a Car?

Yes, some types of plants can tolerate heat better inside a car than others. Succulents and cacti handle heat better, while tropical plants struggle more. However, even heat-tolerant plants can suffer if left in a car for too long, as temperatures inside cars rise quickly.

Succulents and Cacti

Succulents and cacti can survive in hot, dry environments. They don’t dry out as quickly as other plants. So, it means they are more tolerant of heat inside a car.

But if you left a pothos in a hot car, it would struggle much more than a cactus would.

However, even succulents and cacti can get damaged if left in a hot car for too long. While they can handle short periods of heat, they need to be moved to a cooler area if the temperature rises too much.

Tropical Plants

Did you know tropical plants are used to warm temperatures? However, they still need moisture and shade to thrive. If you leave tropical plants like ferns or orchids in a hot car, they might start to wilt or get leaf burn pretty quickly.

These plants need more consistent humidity, and the dry, hot air inside a car can cause their leaves to dry out fast.

Even though tropical plants like warm weather, the conditions inside a hot car are too extreme for them to handle for long.

Air Plants

Air plants are unique because they don’t grow in soil and get most of their water from the air. However, that doesn’t mean they can handle high heat. If you keep an air plant in your car for too long on a hot day, it can dry out very quickly.

Air plants need good airflow and humidity to stay healthy, and the dry, hot air inside a car can make them lose moisture fast. While they might survive a short trip, leaving air plants in a hot car for an extended period is not a good idea.

Pothos and Ivy

Plants like pothos and ivy are popular indoor plants, but they don’t handle heat well. If you left pothos in a hot car, you’d likely notice wilting and yellowing leaves very quickly. Pothos are tough plants, but they need moderate temperatures to stay healthy.

Extreme heat can cause their leaves to turn yellow and fall off. Moreover, the soil can dry out, making it harder for them to recover.

Flowering Plants

Flowering plants, such as roses or geraniums, are very sensitive to heat. The delicate flowers and leaves of these plants can scorch easily in high temperatures. If you leave flowering plants in a hot car, you might notice the flowers wilting and falling off first.

These plants need cool, shaded conditions to keep their blooms looking vibrant.

Ferns

Ferns are another type of plant that struggles with heat. They prefer cool, damp conditions, and the heat inside a car can cause them to dry out very quickly. The delicate leaves of ferns will start to turn brown and crispy when exposed to too much heat, and the plant will become dehydrated.

Ferns need to be kept out of hot environments to survive.

Herbs

Herbs like basil, mint, and parsley can tolerate a bit of heat, but they need plenty of water to stay healthy. If you leave herbs in a hot car, they’ll start to wilt as they lose moisture. The leaves will turn limp, and if the heat lasts too long, they can become scorched and unusable.

Indoor Foliage Plants

Plants like spider plants or snake plants are common indoor plants that are pretty hardy. However, they still struggle with extreme heat. If these plants are exposed to too much heat in a car, their leaves can start to wilt or turn brown at the tips.

While they are resilient, they shouldn’t be left in a hot car for extended periods.

How Can You Revive a Plant After It Has Been Exposed to Heat in a Car?

To revive a plant after it’s been exposed to heat in a car, move it to a cooler place, give it water, trim damaged leaves, mist the plant, and ensure proper ventilation. The faster you act, the better the chances of saving the plant.

Move the Plant to a Cooler Place

The first thing you should do if you find that your plant has been left in a hot car is to move it to a cooler, shaded area.

Don’t place it in direct sunlight, as the plant needs time to recover from the heat. A cool room indoors or a shaded outdoor spot is perfect.

By removing the plant from the hot environment, you can stop further damage from happening. The cooler air will help the plant slowly come back to life.

Give the Plant Water

Once the plant is in a cooler place, it’s time to give it some water. Make sure the soil is thoroughly soaked, but don’t let the plant sit in water for too long. If the soil is very dry, you might need to water the plant in stages, allowing the water to soak in before adding more.

Watering helps to rehydrate the plant and cool down the roots, giving the plant a better chance of survival.

Trim Damaged Leaves

Next, you’ll want to carefully remove any leaves that are beyond saving. If the leaves are brown, crispy, or completely wilted, they won’t recover. Trimming them off will help the plant focus its energy on new growth and healthy parts of the plant.

Don’t cut too much, though—only remove what’s absolutely necessary.

Mist the Plant

Misting the plant’s leaves can also help it recover. The water mist cools the leaves and increases the humidity around the plant, which is especially important if the air is dry.

Mist the plant a few times a day to help it rehydrate without overwatering the soil. This will provide much-needed relief to plants that lost moisture in the heat.

Provide Proper Ventilation

After your plant has been exposed to heat, make sure it’s in a place with good air circulation. This helps prevent the plant from overheating again and also stops moisture from building up, which can lead to mold or mildew.

You can place the plant near an open window, use a small fan to keep the air moving or place it in a well-ventilated room. Fresh air helps the plant breathe better and recover from the stress it faces in the car.

The improved air circulation also helps to cool the plant down more quickly.

Place the Plant in Indirect Light

While it might seem like your plant needs sunshine to recover, it’s important to place it in indirect light at first. After being in a hot car, direct sunlight can make things worse by further dehydrating the plant.

Instead, find a spot with bright but indirect sunlight or partial shade. The plant will still get enough light to recover but without the harshness of direct rays. Once the plant has fully recovered, you can gradually reintroduce it to normal sunlight.

Check the Roots

Sometimes, the heat in a car can cause damage to the plant’s roots, especially if the plant is in a small pot. After watering and cooling down the plant, gently check the roots to see if they are damaged or burned.

Healthy roots should look white or light tan, while damaged roots may appear black, brown, or mushy.

If you find any damaged roots, carefully trim them with clean scissors.

Re-pot if Necessary

If the plant’s roots are severely damaged or the soil has dried out completely, you may need to re-pot the plant into fresh soil. This gives the plant a new environment to recover in, with fresh nutrients and moisture.

Choose a pot that’s slightly larger than the previous one and use fresh, well-draining soil. Be gentle when re-potting the plant, especially if it’s already stressed from the heat.

Giving it a new pot with fresh soil can give it a better chance to bounce back.

Be Patient

Reviving a plant that has been left in a hot car takes time. It might not look healthy right away, but with the right care, it can recover.

Keep watering it regularly, checking for signs of new growth, and making sure it stays in a comfortable environment. It could take days or even weeks for the plant to fully bounce back, so be patient.

Plants are resilient, and with enough care, they often recover from heat stress.

FAQs

How long can plants stay in a hot car?

Plants can only stay in a hot car for a very short time, usually no more than 15 to 30 minutes before they start to show signs of heat stress. Even heat-tolerant plants like succulents can suffer if the temperature inside the car rises too much.

Can you leave plants in the car overnight?

No, you should avoid leaving plants in the car overnight, especially if the temperature drops too low or if the car could heat up in the morning sun. It’s best to bring the plants indoors where the temperature is more stable.

I left a pothos in a hot car. What should I do?

If you leave a pothos in a hot car, move it to a cool, shaded spot, water it thoroughly, and trim any damaged leaves. With quick action, pothos plants are resilient and can recover from mild heat stress.

How long can plants stay in a garage?

Plants can stay in a garage if the temperature is moderate and there is enough light. If the garage gets too hot or too cold, it’s best to move the plants somewhere else. Ensure the garage has good ventilation.

Can you keep an air plant in your car?

You can keep an air plant in your car for short periods of time, but air plants are sensitive to heat and dry air. If left in the car too long, they can dry out and die. It’s better to bring them inside when possible.

I left my plant in a cold car overnight. Will it survive?

If you left your plant in a cold car overnight, check it for signs of frost damage. Cold-sensitive plants may suffer, but hardy plants like succulents may survive. Move the plant to a warmer spot as soon as possible and monitor it closely.

Conclusion

In summary:

• Move plants to a shaded, cool spot as soon as possible.
• Water the plant thoroughly and mist its leaves to cool it down.
• Trim damaged leaves.
• Provide proper ventilation and indirect light for recovery.
• Be patient, as it may take time for the plant to bounce back.

Now, you can protect your plants from heat stress and keep them healthy, even after a hot car trip. Plants are resilient, and with a little care, they’ll be back to thriving in no time!