When to Plant Acerola in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide
What this month normally looks like in Cold / Highland
In October the Cold / Highland zone normally runs 20°C by day and 7°C overnight, with about 58 mm of rain over 7 or 8 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -6.4°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 15 postcodes, SILO.
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This Acerola guide is written for the Cold / Highland zone, which takes in Canberra, Cooma and Bright. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Acerola, or Barbados cherry, is an evergreen shrub of 2 to 5 m, or 1.5 m for the dwarf Pixie, for tropical and subtropical gardens, with bright red soft fruit very high in vitamin C that is eaten fresh, juiced or frozen...
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland
Acerola is not recommended for Cold / Highland.
Frost at minus 1 to minus 2 degrees kills the shrub (Morton). Cold and highland winters are well beyond it.
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How to Grow Acerola in Cold / Highland Australia
- Soil
- Most soils including heavy clay (Daleys); pH 5.5 or above, 6.5 better (Morton).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys).
- Keep away from
- Paths where the stinging hairs brush skin (Daleys), Frost pockets
Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Acerola
Key Challenges
- Frost
Pests and problems for Acerola in Cold / Highland
Harvesting Acerola
When ready: Fruit turns bright red about 22 days after flowering and softens fast (Morton).
How to harvest: Pick early in the morning every day to every three days, wearing gloves and long sleeves against the stinging hairs (Morton; Daleys). Fruit bruises easily (Daleys).
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
- An email when it's time to sow
- Your own garden plan, including planning from a photo
- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
Common Questions About Acerola
When do you plant acerola in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan to Mar, Nov to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Oct to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Acerola in Canberra?
Frost at minus 1 to minus 2 degrees kills the shrub (Morton). Cold and highland winters are well beyond it.
How do I know when Acerola are ready to harvest?
Fruit turns bright red about 22 days after flowering and softens fast (Morton).
Are acerola salt tolerant?
No. Acerola are salt-sensitive, one of the more sensitive veggies. Use rainwater if your bore water is salty, or grow them in a raised bed of fresh mix if your soil is.
Which zone am I in?
Type your postcode into the box near the top of the page and it tells you, and links this crop in your own zone if it differs. Or look it up on the grow zone map. This page is the Cold / Highland zone, Canberra is its reference city.