When to Plant Pomegranate in Canberra, Cold / Highland Guide

Plant July to August. Right now in October it is out of season. The next planting month is July.

Planting window
Deciduous and fairly frost hardy, but it needs the hottest, most sheltered spot to ripen fruit. Plant in late winter.
Sunlight
Full sun, maximum heat. The hotter the better for fruit sweetness.
Soil pH
5.5-8.0 (remarkably tolerant of alkaline soil)

Published · Last reviewed · By GardenBuddy.au
Growing advice is reviewed by hand. Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.

This Pomegranate 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.

Pomegranate

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Tough, drought-tolerant, heat-loving deciduous tree/large shrub from the Middle East. Produces fruit with jewel-like arils (seed sacs) packed with sweet-tart juice. Thrives in hot, dry climates with cold winters. Perfect for inland and mediterranean Australia. Self-fertile. Tolerates poor soil, drought, and neglect once established. Beautiful ornamental with orange-red flowers and yellow autumn foliage. Underplanted in Australian gardens.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Best Planting Window for Cold / Highland

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
- - - - - - P P - - - -

P = Planting window

Deciduous and fairly frost hardy, but it needs the hottest, most sheltered spot to ripen fruit. Plant in late winter.

Want a nudge when it is Pomegranate sowing time in Canberra?

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This month 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.

The full twelve months are on the Cold / Highland zone page.

How to Grow Pomegranate in Cold / Highland Australia

When to Plant

Deciduous and fairly frost hardy, but it needs the hottest, most sheltered spot to ripen fruit. Plant in late winter.

Soil
Extremely tolerant. Grows in sand, clay, limestone, even slightly saline soil. Prefers well-drained but adapts to most conditions. One of the least fussy fruit trees regarding soil.
pH Range
5.5-8.0 (remarkably tolerant of alkaline soil)
Sunlight
Full sun, maximum heat. The hotter the better for fruit sweetness.

Companion plants: Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, lavender, thyme)

Avoid planting near: Nothing specific, very adaptable

Cold / Highland Growing Tips for Pomegranate

Recommended Varieties

  • Wonderful

Key Challenges

  • Short season
  • Fruit unlikely to ripen fully

Pro Tips

  • Marginal. Tree survives cold but fruit may not ripen before frost.

Harvesting Pomegranate

When ready: Skin colour deepens (variety-specific red/pink). Metallic 'tink' sound when tapped (vs dull when unripe). Skin starts to look slightly angular (arils pressing against inside). Calyx flattens.

How to harvest: Cut with secateurs. Don't pull. Stem can tear skin.

Where to next

What pomegranate costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.

Also worth sowing in the cold and highland zone this October: Sweet Corn, Beetroot, Chilli Peppers and Cucumber.

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Common Questions About Pomegranate

When do you plant pomegranate in Australia?

It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:

Which zone am I in?

Type your postcode into the box under the heading and the page 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.