When to Plant Passionfruit in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
Also called passion fruit.
What this month normally looks like in Subtropical
In October the Subtropical zone normally runs 27°C by day and 15°C overnight, with about 77 mm of rain over 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, 33 postcodes, SILO.
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This Passionfruit guide is written for the Subtropical zone, which takes in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Cairns Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Sep to Nov
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil pH
- 5.5–6.5
Vigorous climbing vine that produces abundantly in warm climates. Purple passionfruit (Nellie Kelly, Pandora, Sweetheart) is the standard Australian backyard variety.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Subtropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Panama types crop best here, mostly from late summer into winter. Black passionfruit is fussier and more prone to disease in the humidity.
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How to Grow Passionfruit in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Well-drained, fertile, slightly acidic. Rich in organic matter. Avoid heavy clay.
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.5-6.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun on foliage. Roots prefer cool, shaded, mulched soil.
- Good companions
- Nasturtium (ground cover), Marigold
- Keep away from
- Tree roots (competition), Shady positions
Subtropical Growing Tips for Passionfruit
Recommended Varieties
- Nellie Kelly (grafted)
- Pandora (grafted)
- Sweetheart (grafted)
- Panama Gold
Key Challenges
- Fusarium wilt (buy grafted)
- Brown spot in wet summers
Pro Tips
- Prime passionfruit zone. Every SEQ fence should have one.
- ALWAYS buy grafted plants. Ungrafted purple passionfruit WILL get Fusarium.
- Prune hard after main harvest for vigorous regrowth.
Pests and problems for Passionfruit in Subtropical
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.
Storing and preserving passionfruit
How to keep it
- Pulp freezing. Scoop pulp and seeds into ice cube trays or containers. Freeze. Keeps: 12 months.
- Passionfruit curd. Strain seeds from pulp. Combine juice with butter, sugar, eggs over double boiler. Stir until thick. Keeps: 4 weeks refrigerated.
- Jam. Combine pulp (seeds optional) with sugar and lemon juice. Boil to setting point. Keeps: 12 months.
- Syrup. Simmer pulp with sugar, strain, bottle. Keeps: 3 months refrigerated.
What passionfruit costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
What members get
- Soil and weather from your nearest station
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- Price history and price alerts
- Pest risk alerts for your area
- Full salt and canning detail
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:
- Tropical (Cairns): Sep to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Nov to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
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.
When should I plant Passionfruit in Brisbane?
Panama types crop best here, mostly from late summer into winter. Black passionfruit is fussier and more prone to disease in the humidity.
How do I know when Passionfruit are ready to harvest?
Fruit turns purple (or yellow for Panama types) and drops from vine. Wrinkled skin indicates peak sweetness. Collect fallen fruit daily.
What are the best Passionfruit varieties for Brisbane?
Recommended varieties for the Subtropical zone include: Nellie Kelly (grafted), Pandora (grafted), Sweetheart (grafted), Panama Gold.
What grows well with Passionfruit?
Good companion plants for Passionfruit include: Nasturtium, Marigold.
Are passionfruit salt tolerant?
No. Passionfruit 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 Subtropical zone, Brisbane is its reference city.