November is early dormancy — heating systems have been running for weeks, indoor humidity has crashed, and spider mite populations are building up on dry-air-stressed leaves. Holiday plants start arriving this month: poinsettias in garden centers, Christmas cacti at grandmothers' houses. Some of them are pet-safe. Some of them very much aren't. This guide covers all of it.
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What's happening to your plants in November
By early November, day length in the Northern hemisphere has fallen to roughly 10 hours and is still shortening toward the December solstice minimum. Most tropical houseplants are now fully in the mode I'd call "maintenance" — they're alive, they're photosynthesizing at reduced rates, and they're not growing meaningfully. A snake plant that pushed four new leaves between March and September may produce zero between November and February. That's expected.
The physiological process at work is a gradual reduction in metabolic rate across almost every cellular function: photosynthesis, root activity, nutrient uptake, and transpiration all slow together. NC State Extension documents that tropical houseplants operate in photoperiod-driven cycles, and November represents the nadir of the light input cycle for Northern hemisphere growers.
The second November variable — and the one that does active damage rather than just slowing growth — is the heating system. Forced-air heat that's been running since October has now had weeks to reduce indoor relative humidity. By November, many heated homes see indoor RH in a range that NC State Extension describes as qualitatively much lower than what tropical plants prefer. The consequence is visible: brown leaf tips and edges on calatheas and prayer plants, spider mite populations exploding in the dry air, and root systems taking longer to recover from any overwatering incident because of the overall moisture imbalance in the environment.
This is also the month when the first wave of holiday plants arrives. Poinsettias, Christmas cacti, and — later in November — sometimes amaryllis bulbs starting to be sold as pre-planted gifts. These plants deserve a clear-eyed look at their pet toxicity before they enter a home with cats, dogs, or small children. More on this below.
Southern hemisphere readers: November is your late spring — growth is accelerating and you're heading toward summer solstice, not dormancy. Invert this advice and read the March or April guide for season-appropriate guidance.
Light this month
November light is the second-lowest of the year (December takes the bottom spot). The sun rises later, sets earlier, and tracks a low arc across the sky. On overcast days — common in northern latitudes in November — usable light through any window may be genuinely minimal.
By window position:
- South windows: Your most valuable real estate now. At low November sun angles, south-facing glass receives the most consistent direct light available. Consolidate your highest-light-demand plants here.
- East windows: Morning sun, limited duration, moderate intensity. Adequate for pothos, heartleaf philodendron, and snake plant. Not sufficient for anything that needed strong light in summer.
- West windows: Equivalent to east in November — limited duration afternoon light. Similar plant suitability.
- North windows: Genuinely challenging now. Only your most shade-tolerant plants — ZZ plant, cast iron plant (Aspidistra elatior), possibly a trailing pothos — will hold at north windows through winter without deteriorating.
Supplemental grow lighting is no longer optional for many setups. If you have calatheas, monsteras, or any plant that needs medium-to-bright indirect light, running a full-spectrum LED grow light on a 12-14 hour timer is the most reliable way to prevent dormancy-related leaf drop and maintain baseline health through winter.
One practical tip: don't assume your window is doing more than it is. If you have a light meter or a phone app that measures lux, check your reading at plant height in the middle of the day. November south windows in northern latitudes may read under 500 lux on cloudy days — well below what most "medium-light" plants require for positive energy balance.
Watering adjustments
November watering should be conservative to the point of what feels like benign neglect for drought-tolerant species. With growth at or near zero, soil stays wet almost indefinitely if you water on a summer schedule. I check my plants every ten to fourteen days and more often than not find soil that's still not ready.
Guidelines by plant group:
- Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata), ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia): Water once every three to four weeks, and only when the potting medium is nearly dry all the way through. These plants can go longer without water in November than they can in any other month.
- Pothos (Epipremnum aureum), heartleaf philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum): Water when the top two inches of soil are dry — probably every two to three weeks in November depending on pot size and your home's temperature.
- Peace lily (Spathiphyllum), calathea, prayer plant: Keep slightly moist but not soggy. These are more sensitive to drying out completely, but still reduce frequency. Check every ten days and water when the top inch is dry.
The failure mode is overwatering. In November, root rot develops more slowly than in warm summer conditions, which means it can advance considerably before surface symptoms appear. If a plant has been sitting in damp soil for three weeks, unpot it and check the roots. Healthy roots are white and firm. Rotted roots are brown, soft, and smell unpleasant.
The watering frequency calculator at /care/watering-frequency-calculator is worth revisiting this month with your winter-adjusted variables — smaller pot size, lower light, and lower temperature all extend the interval between waterings.
Humidity
By November, if you haven't already set up humidity support, you're likely seeing the consequences. UC IPM explicitly identifies low-humidity indoor environments as the primary driver of spider mite outbreaks indoors during winter — dry air accelerates mite reproductive cycles while simultaneously stressing plants and reducing their natural resilience. Iowa State Extension similarly notes that heating systems are a root cause of winter pest pressure.
NC State Extension recommends qualitatively high humidity for most tropical houseplants — a standard that heated November indoor air consistently fails to meet.
Your November humidity toolkit:
- Pebble trays: Essential for calathea, prayer plant, Boston fern, and other humidity-sensitive species. Refill the water in the tray regularly — it evaporates faster than you'd expect.
- Room humidifier: The most effective option. A cool-mist ultrasonic humidifier near your plant collection will raise the local RH meaningfully. Run it daily or on a timer during daylight hours.
- Grouping plants: Transpiration from leaves adds moisture to the air immediately around a plant. Grouping high-humidity species together gives them a mild cooperative benefit.
- Move away from heating vents: Direct heated airflow landing on leaves accelerates moisture loss and can cause tip burn within days. Check every plant's position relative to floor and wall vents.
Avoid misting as a primary strategy. Misting adds brief surface moisture to leaves but doesn't meaningfully raise ambient RH in the room. In November's lower temperatures and reduced air circulation, standing water on leaves in the evening can encourage fungal issues on susceptible species.
Pest pressure this month
November is peak spider mite season in heated indoor environments, full stop.
UC IPM documents that Tetranychus urticae (two-spotted spider mite) and related species reproduce fastest in warm, dry conditions — exactly what a heated home in November provides. Population cycles that take weeks in humid summer conditions can complete in days in dry winter air. A small mite colony in October can be a serious infestation by mid-November if not caught and treated.
Signs of spider mites to check for this month:
- Silvery or pale stippling on leaf surfaces — feeding damage to individual plant cells
- Fine webbing across leaf undersides, at stem joints, and between leaves in heavy infestations
- Tiny mobile specks (adults are about 0.5mm) visible under a hand lens on leaf undersides
- Overall dulling of leaf color and gradual plant decline without an obvious other cause
I check every plant in my collection for mites when I water in November. It adds about two minutes per plant. The undersides of calathea leaves, the crowded fronds of Boston ferns, and the dense nodes of pothos vines are where I find them first. Iowa State Extension recommends raising ambient humidity as the first-line environmental control — mites thrive in dry air and their populations slow as humidity increases.
Fungus gnats are also possible in November, usually a consequence of overwatering. Their larvae live in moist topsoil and damage fine root hairs. If you see small dark flies near your plants or hovering over soil, allow the top two inches of all affected pots to dry completely between waterings. Sticky yellow traps catch adults and give you a sense of population size.
For identifying exactly which pest you're dealing with, see /care/spider-mites-vs-thrips-vs-whiteflies.
Tasks for this month
- Raise humidity before spider mites establish: Set up or check your pebble trays, humidifier, and plant groupings. Keeping ambient moisture higher is the most effective environmental spider mite control.
- Cut watering to winter frequency: Most plants now need water every two to three weeks. Check soil before every watering — never water on schedule alone.
- Inspect for spider mites weekly: Check the undersides of leaves on your most susceptible species — calathea, pothos, peace lily, fiddle leaf fig — every time you water.
- Move plants away from heating vents and cold windows: Both extremes — direct heat and cold glass — stress plants and make them more vulnerable to pest and disease issues.
- Assess incoming holiday plants: Any poinsettia, Christmas cactus, or other holiday plant entering your home this month needs a toxicity check before it's placed where pets or children can access it.
- Run grow lights for critical plants: If you're keeping calathea, monstera, or other medium-to-bright light plants through winter, supplemental lighting is now more important than at any other point.
- Don't fertilize: Nothing until March for most species.
Plants to focus on this month
Snake Plant
Snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata) is the November starter. It tolerates low humidity, low light, low watering frequency, and temperature fluctuation better than almost any other common houseplant. I water mine once every four weeks in November and it asks for nothing more. Per the ASPCA, snake plant is toxic to cats and dogs via saponins — nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea if consumed. Keep away from pets. See /plants/snake-plant-care.
ZZ Plant
ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) stores water in its underground rhizomes and doesn't care about dry air in the way calatheas do. It can sit in a north window in a heated dry apartment all winter and look fine. Per NC State Plant Toolbox, ZZ plant is toxic to cats and dogs via calcium oxalates — keep out of reach of pets.
Pothos
Golden pothos (Epipremnum aureum) remains useful in November because it genuinely keeps growing at reduced pace even in difficult conditions. A south-window pothos in November will push a leaf every three to four weeks. Per the ASPCA, pothos is toxic to cats and dogs. See /plants/pothos-care.
Holiday Plant Arrivals: Poinsettia
Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) appears in garden centers and grocery stores throughout November. The mythology around poinsettia being extremely toxic is largely overstated — per the ASPCA, poinsettia is mildly toxic to cats and dogs via irritant sap, causing mouth irritation and occasional vomiting. Serious systemic toxicity from poinsettia is not well documented. That said, "mildly toxic" is still toxic — keep it out of reach of pets. From a care perspective: poinsettia wants a bright south window, temperatures between 60-70°F, and no cold drafts. Avoid letting it sit in standing water. The colorful bracts (modified leaves) drop quickly in sub-optimal conditions.
Holiday Plant Arrivals: Christmas Cactus
Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) is one of the genuinely welcome holiday plant arrivals — per the ASPCA, it is non-toxic to cats and dogs. A pet-safe holiday plant that flowers and requires minimal care is a rare thing. It blooms in response to long-night conditions (14+ hours of darkness per night) and cooler temperatures — essentially the November conditions it naturally encounters. Keep it in a cool room, water sparingly, and don't fertilize.
What NOT to do this month
Don't ignore humidity. I know I've said this several times, but spider mites are genuinely hard to eradicate once established, and the single most effective prevention is raising ambient humidity in your plant space. Dry air in November is a structural problem, and a pebble tray or humidifier is the structural solution.
Don't fertilize. Plants in November dormancy cannot use nutrients effectively. Salts from unused fertilizer accumulate in the soil and can damage fine roots.
Don't overwater dormant plants. Check soil at the recommended depth before every watering. When in doubt, wait two more days.
Don't place holiday plants near pets without checking toxicity first. Poinsettia is mildly toxic and usually survivable if a pet nibbles it; other holiday plants are more concerning. December's guide covers amaryllis, mistletoe, and true lilies in detail — all in a more serious toxicity category.
Don't mist plants for humidity. It doesn't work well and can promote fungal issues in November's reduced air circulation.
Don't move plants to "give them more light" by putting them directly against cold window glass. A plant sitting against single-pane glass on a night when outdoor temperatures are in the 20s (-5°C) will experience cold damage to its outermost leaves. Pull plants a few inches back from the glass.
Frequently asked
Why are the leaves on my calathea turning brown at the edges in November?
Almost certainly low humidity from heating. Calathea (Calathea spp.) is among the most humidity-sensitive common houseplants, and brown leaf edges are their primary distress signal for dry air. Check that your plant isn't near a heating vent. Add a pebble tray directly under the pot. Consider grouping it with other high-humidity-demand plants. If conditions don't improve, a small humidifier running near the plant daily is the most reliable fix. Note that calathea is non-toxic to cats and dogs per the ASPCA, so it's a good choice for pet households despite its demanding humidity needs.
How do I know if I have spider mites or something else?
Spider mites produce characteristic fine stippling or silvery speckling on leaves from individual cell damage, and webbing between leaves and on stem joints in moderate to heavy infestations. Thrips leave silvery streaking on leaves and dark fecal specks. Mealybugs produce visible white cottony masses, especially at stem nodes. Fungus gnats are small dark flies hovering near soil. For a detailed comparison, see /care/spider-mites-vs-thrips-vs-whiteflies. UC IPM's spider mite note specifically flags heated indoor environments as high-risk in winter months.
Is it normal for my plants to not grow at all in November?
Yes, for most species. Many tropical houseplants produce little or no visible new growth between November and February in Northern hemisphere homes. Slow or zero growth is appropriate for this time of year — it's the plant reading its environmental inputs correctly. The baseline expectation should be "maintain existing leaves in good condition" rather than "produce new ones." If existing, mature leaves are yellowing, browning, or dropping, that's a sign of a problem. If the plant just isn't pushing new leaves, that's November being November.
Sources: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, UC IPM — Spider Mites (Tetranychus urticae), Iowa State Extension — Houseplant Pest Management, ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Snake Plant, ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Golden Pothos, ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Calathea, ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Poinsettia, ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants — Christmas Cactus, NC State — ZZ Plant