When to Plant Passionfruit in Perth, Mediterranean Guide

Plant September to December. Right now in October you can plant.

Also called passion fruit.

Planting window
Grows well on a warm sunny fence in Perth and Adelaide. Plant in spring and water heavily in summer; vines do not fruit in their first...
Sunlight
Full sun on foliage. Roots prefer cool, shaded, mulched soil.
Soil pH
5.5-6.5

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

This Passionfruit guide is written for the Mediterranean zone, which takes in Perth, Adelaide and Bunbury. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.

Not your zone? Cairns Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs

Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.

Passionfruit

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Vigorous climbing vine that produces abundantly in warm climates. Purple passionfruit (Nellie Kelly, Pandora, Sweetheart) is the standard Australian backyard variety. Yellow (Panama) types are more tropical and disease-resistant but more acidic. Grafted plants on disease-resistant rootstock (usually P. caerulea or Panama Gold) are strongly recommended as ungrafted purple vines are susceptible to Fusarium wilt. Vines are relatively short-lived (5-7 years) but produce within 12-18 months.

See what grows now in your own postcode

Best Planting Window for Mediterranean

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

P = Planting window

Grows well on a warm sunny fence in Perth and Adelaide. Plant in spring and water heavily in summer; vines do not fruit in their first season.

Want a nudge when it is Passionfruit sowing time in Perth?

One email a week with what is worth planting in the Mediterranean zone right now, Passionfruit included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.

This month in Mediterranean

In October the Mediterranean zone normally runs 22°C by day and 10°C overnight, with about 38 mm of rain over 6 or 7 wet days. The coldest October night on record across the zone was -0.2°C, so a late frost is not out of the question. Averages 1991 to 2026, 19 postcodes, SILO.

The full twelve months are on the Mediterranean zone page.

How to Grow Passionfruit in Mediterranean Australia

When to Plant

Grows well on a warm sunny fence in Perth and Adelaide. Plant in spring and water heavily in summer; vines do not fruit in their first season.

Soil
Well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic. Rich in organic matter. Avoid heavy clay.
pH Range
5.5-6.5
Sunlight
Full sun on foliage. Roots prefer cool, shaded, mulched soil.

Companion plants: Nasturtium (ground cover), Marigold

Avoid planting near: Tree roots (competition), Shady positions

Mediterranean Growing Tips for Passionfruit

Recommended Varieties

  • Nellie Kelly (grafted)
  • Pandora

Key Challenges

  • Dry summers
  • Frost in Adelaide

Pro Tips

  • Perth: good passionfruit climate with irrigation.
  • Adelaide: marginal, north-facing sheltered position.

Harvesting Passionfruit

When ready: Fruit turns purple (or yellow for Panama types) and drops from vine. Wrinkled skin indicates peak sweetness. Collect fallen fruit daily.

How to harvest: Pick up fallen fruit or twist ripe fruit from vine. Wrinkled fruit is sweeter than smooth.

Where to next

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

Also worth sowing in the mediterranean zone this October: Lemongrass, Dwarf Beans (Bush), Eggplant (Aubergine) and Parsnip.

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Common Questions About Passionfruit

When do you plant passionfruit in Australia?

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

What else is passionfruit called?

Passionfruit is the usual Australian name. Overseas seed packets and recipes call it passion fruit. Same plant, same growing advice.

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 Mediterranean zone, Perth is its reference city.