Hot Potato is the first plant obtained in Frostbite Caves in Plants vs. Zombies 2, and she is the world's exclusive plant. She is a single-use plant capable of thawing frozen blocks, freeing the zombie or plant that is trapped inside it, taking 2.5 seconds to do it, which makes her an environment modifier.
Origins

The real-life Solanum tuberosum in which Hot Potato is based on
Hot Potato is based on the real life potato, the starchy, tuberous root portion of the plant Solanum tuberosum.
The term "hot potato" refers to a children's game in which players attempt to pass an object to each other while music plays, in an attempt to not be the one holding the object when the music suddenly stops. It's also a slang for dangerous items that will cause devastating effects if not handled with care.
Almanac entry
Hot Potato
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Hot Potato
SUN COST: 0
RECHARGE: 10
TOUGHNESS: 300
DAMAGE: 0
AREA: Single
FAMILY: Pepper-mint
Hot Potatoes melt the ice blocks they're planted on.
Usage: single use
Special: melts an ice block
How does Hot Potato stay so positive and even-peeled all the time? Yoga, that's how. She never misses a class. Also, regular meditation. It's the only way she can handle the hard work of fighting zombies, day in and day out, without melting down.
Upgrades
Pepper-mint effect
When boosted by Pepper-mint, Hot Potato will do an additional 60 DPS per tick (or do 60 DPS if she is at level 1) to zombies on her tile. She will also gain the ability to melt octopi from Octo Zombies if she at level 5 and above.
Level upgrades
Level | Seed Packets | Coins | Upgrades | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sun Cost | Recharge (Mediocre) |
Toughness (Typical) |
Damage* | Area | |||
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 seconds | 300 dps | 0 dps | Single |
2 | 10 | 1,000 | 10 seconds | 350 dps | 10 dps | ||
3 | 75 | 5,000 | 9 seconds | 400 dps | 20 dps | ||
4 | 200 | 10,000 | 9 seconds | 450 dps | 30 dps | ||
5 | 400 | 20,000 | 8 seconds | 550 dps | 40 dps | ||
6 | 750 | 30,000 | 8 seconds | 600 dps | 50 dps | ||
7 | 1,000 | 40,000 | 7 seconds | 650 dps | 60 dps | ||
8 | 1,250 | 50,000 | 7 seconds | 700 dps | |||
9 | 1,500 | 60,000 | 6 seconds | 800 dps | |||
10 | 2,000 | 75,000 | 5 seconds | 900 dps |
*This column will show the proximity damage-per-second it deals to zombies and obstacles in its tile while melting.
Note: At level 5, Hot Potato gains the ability to melt Octopi from Octo Zombie.
Mastery upgrade
- Toughness Bonus
Costumed (China only)
Recharge reduced by 20%.
Strategies
Hot Potato will be the first thawing option that is from Frostbite Caves available to the player. On earlier levels in Frostbite Caves, she will prove sufficient, as she can thaw single plants significantly faster than other warming plants and there is little pressure from the wind and Hunter Zombies. However, she is incapable of preventing plants from freezing in the first place, and her status as an instant plant means that she will be quickly overwhelmed in later levels and in the world's Endless Zone, Icebound Battleground.
In Special Delivery levels, try to save Hot Potatoes given to melt down important plants, such as heavy damage plants like Repeater and Bonk Choy. Avoid using Hot Potatoes on plants adjacent to a Pepper-pult or other thawing plants, as they already have the ability to melt frozen plants.
Another thing to remember is that Hot Potato can also thaw blocks with encased zombies. This makes Hot Potato a useful plant against the frozen Yeti Imps pushed by Troglobites and Zombot Tuskmaster 10,000 BC's ice barrier. It is recommended that the player only thaw zombies when sufficient firepower is present - a Weasel Hoarder freed at the wrong moment can quickly overrun the player's defense with Ice Weasels, though a Snapdragon can rectify that with sufficient Wall-Nuts.
If the player owns a level 2 (or above) Hot Potato or it is boosted by a Power Mint, she can be used strategically to deal damage to zombies (except Imp Dragon Zombie) walking on the tile Hot Potato is planted on. The Hot Potato may be used in Big Wave Beach and Modern Day levels where there are Octo Zombies, but only if she's upgraded to level 5. She has the ability to remove octopi as long as she is upgraded to that level or boosted by a Power Mint.
Balance changes
Update 5.7.1
- ▲ New ability: Starting at level 2, Hot Potato is able to deal 10-60 damage to all zombies within the tile Hot Potato is planted on every second
Update 6.0.1
- ▲ New ability: Starting at level 5, Hot Potato is able to melt octopi thrown by Octo Zombie.
Related achievement
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Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Hot Potato.
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In other languages
Language | Name | Description |
---|---|---|
Hot Potato | ||
烤马铃薯 | ||
Patate chaude | ||
Heiße Kartoffel | ||
Tubero ardente | ||
Batata Quente | ||
Papa caliente |
Trivia
- When thawing a plant, she lets out a deep sigh, and steam from the melting ice block rises up.
- She can be seen frozen during the Frostbite Caves part 1 trailer, despite the fact that she cannot be frozen in any way. This trait is also shared with Hurrikale.
- She, Perfume-shroom, and Lily Pad are currently the only plants without Endless Zone cards. This is due to the fact that the player will start their respective Endless Zones with those plants, and other Endless Zones do not allow them.
- However, If Hot Potato is at level 5 and up, she has her Endless Zone card.
- She reappears in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 as the marker for Kernel Corn's Butter Barrage ability and its alternate ability, the Bigger Better Butter.
- In older versions of Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, the plant summoned by Tater Toss was also called Hot Potato. This was later changed to Hothead for unknown reasons.
- Similar to other world-exclusive plants, Hot Potato cannot be used in stages with cold winds and ice blocks outside of Frostbite Caves. The only exception is if the player has her at level 5+, she can also be used in Big Wave Beach.
See also
V · T · E | L · G |
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Plants vs. Zombies | |
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Day | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater |
Night | Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom |
Pool | Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut |
Fog | Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom |
Roof | Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult |
Upgrades | Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon |
Others | Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Giant Sunflower · Giant Marigold · Sprout · Tree of Wisdom |
Plants vs. Zombies: Social Edition | |
---|---|
Normal | Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Chomper · Repeater · Puff-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Snow Pea · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Lily Pad · Squash · Spikeweed · Tangle Kelp · Torchwood · Sea-shroom · Jalapeno · Coffee Bean · Tall-nut · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom · Blover · Melon-pult · Cactus |
Premium | Pickled Pepper · Icy Fume-shroom · Fire-shroom · Flamewood · Vine-nut · Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Winter Melon · Super Chomper · Future Star · Calm Chuck |
Plants vs. Zombies Adventures | |
---|---|
>Normal | Peashooter · Sunflower · Aspearagus · Wall-nut · Cherry Bomb · Popcorn · Beet · Snow Pea · Jalapeño · Magnet Plant · Flaming Pea · Shamrock · Bamboo Shoot · Repeater · Chilly Pepper · Twin Sunflower |
VIPs | Sweet Pea · Beeshooter · Hard-nut · Acespearagus · Power Flower · Beetboxer · Ice Queen Pea · Shamrockstar · Bamboom |
Others | Trees |
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version) | |
---|---|
Ancient Egypt | Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Cabbage-pult · Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower · Snow Pea · Cherry Bomb · Torchwood |
Pirate Seas | Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Power Lily · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Spikerock · Lightning Reed · Tall-nut |
Wild West | Threepeater · Squash · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Jalapeno · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Winter Melon · Imitater |
Kongfu World | Radish · Fire Gourd · Heavenly Peach · Bamboo-shoot |
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip · Starfruit |
Dark Ages | Hypno-shroom · Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Pea-nut · Magnet-shroom · Oak Archer · Coffee Bean · Plantern |
Big Wave Beach | Acidic Citrus · Lotuspot · Lily Pad · Bowling Bulb · Banana Launcher · Guacodile · Tangle Kelp · Homing Thistle |
Frostbite Caves | Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rafflesia · Tornacorn |
Sky City | Rotobaga · Cycloque · Aspiragus · Saucer Squash · Board Beans · Lantern Cherry · Ampthurium · Spinnapple |
Lost City | Lava Guava · Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Stallia · Gold Leaf · Toadstool · Jackfruit |
Neon Mixtape Tour | MC Glory · Phat Beet · Thyme Warp · Celery Stalker · Spore-shroom · Garlic · Intensive Carrot · Cactus |
Jurassic Marsh | Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine · Primal Rafflesia · Dinonip · Thorns · Mastercane |
Modern Day | Shadow-shroom · Caulipower · Moonflower · Grimrose · Nightshade · Dusk Lobber · Blooming Heart |
Steam Ages | Gold Bloom · Flat-shroom · Passionflower · Lotus Root · Fanilla · Lily of Alchemy · Berry Blaster |
Renaissance Age |
Aloe · Kinnikannon · Wax Guard · Oil Olive · Ruby Red · Dartichoke |
Heian Age | Sumo Melon · Wasabi Whip · Auberninja · Dripphylleia · Splitting Stephania · Kunai Tupistra · Windbreak Dendrobium · Orchid Chef · Geisha Flower · Stickybomb Rice |
Fairytale Forest | Ents · Heath Seeker · Hat Mushroom |
Monthly special | Pyro-shroom · Carrotillery · Cryo-shroom · Dandelion · Aggro Brocco · Pomegunate · Chomper · Sweet Potato · Lord Bamboo · Sap-fling · Ghost Pepper · Chest-nut · Bambrook · Zorrose · Magic-shroom · Electric Blueberry · R.A.D Missiles · Endurian · Pumpkin Witch · Sunflower Singer · Snowy Cotton · Guerrequila · Monkeyfruit · Plumping Plummy · Dragonfruit · Angel Starfruit · Gatling Pea · Match Flower · Firebloom Queen · Cattail · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Shrinking Violet · Cob Cannon · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Escape Root · Electric Currant · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Trump Tulip · Banana Dancer · Dual Pistol Pinecone · Narcissus · Alarm Arrowhead · Holly Barrier · Shadow Peashooter · Snap Pea · Frostbloom Queen · Sling Pea · Zapdragon · Electrici-tea · Imp Pear · Strawburst · Egrett Flower · Goo Peashooter · Bud-minton · Curling Corms · Pokra · Dollarweed Drummer · Ultomato · Shadow Fanilla · Bromel Blade · Gumnut · Olive Pit · Nuclear Earthstar · Headbutter Lettuce · Dazey Chain · Boom Balloon Flower · Soda Bottle Palm · Tiger Claw · Impaintiens · Turkey-pult · Hammerflower · Fishhook Grass · Energy Mangosteen · Inferno · Tigerstool · Gardenergrass · Draftodil |
Others | Potato Mine · Flower Pot · Tactical Cuke |
Removed | Rotten Red |
Plants vs. Zombies Online | |
---|---|
Player's House | Sunflower · Peashooter · Wall-nut · Potato Mine |
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum | Bruce Bamboo · Carrot Rocket · Pomegranate-pult · Dandelion · Venus Flytrap · Wax Gourd · Sod |
Ancient Egypt | Bloomerang · Bonk Choy · Grave Buster · Iceberg Lettuce · Cabbage-pult |
Pirate Seas | Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Kernel-pult · Coconut Cannon · Narcissus · Endurian · Spikerock · Pineapple Cannon · Threepeater |
Far Future | Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Tile Turnip · Ganoderma · Banana Tree · Nitro-shroom · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass |
East Sea Dragon Palace | Oxygen Algae · Garlic · Bubble Flower · Electric Anemone |
Upgrades | Twin Sunflower · Repeater |
VIPs | Winter Melon |
Power Ups | Cherry Bomb · Jalapeno |
Premium | Squash · Snow Pea · Tall-nut |
Adventure Mode only | Magic Vine · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Lightning Reed · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Starfruit · Chomper · Fire Peashooter · Cattail · Zorrose · Clivia · Sap-fling · Acidic Citrus · Magic-shroom · Ghost Pepper · Guacodile · Hurrikale · Plantern · Oak Archer · Homing Thistle · Pepper-pult · Radish · Toadstool · Blooming Heart · Red Stinger · Electric Blueberry · A.K.E.E. · Moonflower · Guerrequila · Aspiragus · Pumpkin Witch · Mine Fruit · Sea Anemone · Lychee Drill · Sea Starfruit |
Plants vs. Zombies 3 | |
---|---|
Neighborville | Sunflower · Wall-Nut · Bamboo Shoots · Peashooter · Bonk Choy |
Lost Keys Lake | Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Squash |
Mt. Quesogrande | Chili Bean · Silversword · Cabbage-Pult |
Power-Ups | Grapes of Wrath · Chilly Pepper · Jalapeño · Cherry Bomb · Blover |
Pre-2021 | Puff-Shroom · Buttercup · Garlic · Potato Mine · Pushywillow · Chard Guard · Spikeweed · Kernel-Pult · Caramel Popcorn · Lightning Reed · Melon-Pult · Shuffle Truffle · Blockbuster · Butternut Squash · Ragweed · Sawgrass · Fire Peashooter · Pine Needler · Snow Pea · Night Cap · Aloe Vera · Sweet Potato · Hydrangea · Dogwood · Chomper · Flak Seed · Gravitree · Gloom-Shroom · Lemon-Aid · Starfruit · Snapdragon · Fairy Ring Mushroom · Kalestorm · Star Tree · Magic Beans |