When to Plant Rosella in Brisbane, Subtropical Guide
That soil figure is read off our own weather station in South East Queensland at 6:55 this morning, not a model.
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 Rosella 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
- Aug to Mar
- Days to harvest
- about 21 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 50 cm apart
Rosella is a tall annual shrub grown for its fleshy red calyces, the part around the seed pod. They make jam, syrup and tea. It needs a long, warm, frost free season of 5 months or more (Green Harvest).
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Subtropical
- Jan S/T/D
- Feb S/T/D
- Mar T
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug S
- Sep S/T/D
- Oct S/T/D
- Nov S/T/D
- Dec S/T/D
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
One email a week with what is worth planting in the Subtropical zone right now, Rosella included, plus which veg has jumped in price at the supermarket. Free, and you can stop it in one click.
How to Grow Rosella in Subtropical Australia
- Soil
- Well drained soil with plenty of compost. No pH is given in the sources.
- Salt
- Moderately tolerant. Handles slightly salty water better than most veggies.
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 hours (Seed Collection).
- Spacing
- 50cm apart, 100cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep the soil moist while seedlings establish. Water regularly in dry spells. No source gives amounts.
- Grow before it
- Leafy greens and brassicas (Lettuce, Silverbeet, Broccoli)
- Grow after it
- Roots and alliums (Carrot, Beetroot, Onion)
Give the bed 3 turns before other fruiting crops go back in. Corn, okra and sunflower are heavy feeders that sit with the fruiting crops in the cycle.
Subtropical Growing Tips for Rosella
Key Challenges
- Frost in late autumn
- Leaf beetles
- Root knot nematode
Pro Tips
- Sow early so the crop ripens before frost
- The plant flowers as days shorten
- Pick the calyces about 3 weeks after flowering
Pests and problems for Rosella in Subtropical
Harvesting Rosella
When ready: Pick the fruit about 3 weeks after flowering, when the calyx is 2 to 3 cm across (Green Harvest).
How to harvest: Cut the whole fruit from the stem. The calyx is the fleshy red outer part, the seed capsule inside is removed.
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 Rosella
When do you plant rosella in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Jan, Oct to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Nov to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Dec
Can you grow rosella all year round in Brisbane?
No. In the Subtropical zone the planting months are Jan to Mar, Aug to Dec. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Rosella in Brisbane?
Two sowing windows. Start seed in August and plant out in four to six weeks, or sow from September to February, with plant out to March (Gardenate). Rosella needs at least 5 months without frost (Green Harvest), so late sowings crop best in mild winters.
What soil temperature do Rosella need?
Rosella germinate best when soil temperature is between 25°C and 35°C.
How do I know when Rosella are ready to harvest?
Pick the fruit about 3 weeks after flowering, when the calyx is 2 to 3 cm across (Green Harvest).
Are rosella salt tolerant?
Fairly. Rosella are moderately tolerant of salt and handle slightly salty water better than most veggies.
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.