How Winter Shipping Works at Rare Plant Fairy and How to Set Your Order Up for Success
Shipping live plants during winter requires extra care and shared responsibility. Cold temperatures, weather delays, and long transit times can stress even the healthiest plants. At Rare Plant Fairy, our goal is always safe arrival, not speed. With the right preparation, most winter orders arrive successfully and grow on without issue.
This article explains how winter shipping works, what to expect once your order ships, and what you can do to maximize success when ordering rare plants during colder months. These guidelines apply to many tropical aroids, including Monstera, Philodendron, Begonia and Alocasia, which are especially sensitive to temperature changes.
Why Winter Shipping Is Different for Live Plants
Tropical plants are not cold hardy. During winter, exposure to low temperatures can cause cell damage, leaf collapse, or delayed recovery. Even brief exposure to cold can affect sensitive foliage, especially on variegated plants where tissue is thinner and contains less chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment that allows plants to photosynthesize and produce energy. Areas with less chlorophyll are more vulnerable to stress and can be sensitive to edema or browning.
Because of this, winter shipping requires more planning than shipping during warmer seasons.
What Rare Plant Fairy Does to Protect Your Order
During winter, we take additional steps to protect plants in transit. This includes weather checks, appropriate shipping timing, and complimentary insulation and heat packs when conditions require them. We may delay shipping if temperatures along the route or at the destination are unsafe.
These decisions are made to protect plant health, not to slow down fulfillment. A delayed shipment that arrives safely is always better than a fast shipment that arrives damaged.
How Addresses and Delivery Routing Work
All orders are shipped to the delivery address provided at checkout. Once your order ships and a tracking number is issued, the package is officially in UPS’s care.
At that point, any delivery changes must be handled directly by the customer through UPS. This includes rerouting a package to a UPS Access Point, requesting a hold, or adjusting delivery preferences. We are not able to modify delivery instructions or request holds once the shipment has been released to UPS.
What Customers Can Do Once Tracking Is Issued
Winter shipping is most successful when customers actively manage their delivery after receiving tracking information.
Once your tracking number is available, we strongly recommend monitoring it closely. If cold weather is a concern, you can use UPS tools to reroute your package to a UPS Access Point or request a hold. This helps prevent the box from sitting outdoors and reduces time spent on delivery trucks.
Please note that UPS Access Points and UPS Customer Centers are different locations, and availability varies by city. Prompt pickup is especially important during winter conditions.
How Addresses and Delivery Routing Work
All orders are shipped to the delivery address provided at checkout. Once your order ships and a tracking number is issued, the package is officially in UPS’s care.
At that point, any delivery changes must be handled directly by the customer through UPS. This includes rerouting a package to a UPS Access Point, requesting a hold, or adjusting delivery preferences. We are not able to modify delivery instructions or request holds once the shipment has been released to UPS.
What to Expect When Your Plant Arrives
It is normal for plants to show signs of stress after winter transit. Cold exposure, even when properly packaged, can temporarily affect foliage.
Common and expected winter arrival symptoms include soft or droopy leaves, minor edge browning, light cold spotting on older leaves, and leaves that decline more quickly than usual. These are cosmetic issues and do not indicate long-term damage.
Once your plant arrives, bring it indoors immediately. Allow it to rest unopened for about thirty minutes so it can gradually warm to room temperature. Avoid placing it in bright light right away. Do not water immediately unless the soil is completely dry. Avoid repotting for at least two weeks.
New growth is the most reliable indicator of plant health.
When to Contact Us
If your plant arrives with severe cold damage (blackened leaves or leaves that appear soft and soggy like cooked spinach), please contact us the same day with clear photos. Our winter policy applies, and timely documentation helps us assist you properly.
Please remember that insulation and heat packs are included at no extra cost when weather conditions require them.
Winter Shipping Is a Shared Effort
We handle winter shipping with professional packaging, weather monitoring, and careful timing. Once a package is in transit, customers are responsible for managing delivery preferences through UPS and bringing plants indoors promptly.
When both sides do their part, winter shipping is highly successful.
If you are looking to explore plants that ship well year-round, you can browse our full collection below.
Shop All Rare Plants
https://www.rareplantfairy.com/collections/all-plants