When to Plant Achacha in Cairns, Tropical Guide
What this month normally looks like in Tropical
In October the Tropical zone normally runs 34°C by day and 23°C overnight, with about 53 mm of rain over 5 or 6 wet days. Averages 1991 to 2026, 37 postcodes, SILO.
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This Achacha guide is written for the Tropical zone, which takes in Cairns, Townsville and Darwin. Somewhere else? Your postcode picks the right one.
Not your zone? Brisbane Sydney Melbourne Canberra Alice Springs Perth
Also handy: will it frost this week? and what grows in shade.
- Planting window
- Nov to Mar
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Soil pH
- 5.0–7.0
Achacha is a slow growing Bolivian relative of mangosteen with orange, egg sized fruit and tangy white flesh.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Tropical
- Jan P
- Feb P
- Mar P
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Fruits December to March. The first commercial plantation is near Townsville (achacha.com.au). Shade seedlings to 1 m and water twice a week (IFAS). Planting months are our estimate for a nursery tree: plant in the warm, wet months so the roots settle before any dry or cool weather.
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How to Grow Achacha in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Good drainage (Daleys). Fertile loam high in organic matter, pH 5 to 7; iron deficiency on alkaline soil (IFAS).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- pH Range
- 5.0-7.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun for mature trees (Daleys). Seedlings under 50 percent shade or indirect light until about 1 m tall (IFAS). A Klemzig SA grower had greenhouse seedlings burn from UV (Daleys review).
- Keep away from
- Cold dry winds during flowering (IFAS), Alkaline soil (IFAS)
Tropical Growing Tips for Achacha
Recommended Varieties
- Grafted achacha under plant breeders rights (Daleys)
- Seedling achacha (Daleys)
Key Challenges
- Slow to fruit
- Anthracnose in wet weather
Pro Tips
- Shade seedlings to 1 m (IFAS)
- Plant in the wet season
Pests and problems for Achacha in Tropical
Harvesting Achacha
When ready: Dark orange peel; light orange fruit has not reached full sweetness (IFAS). Fruit does not ripen after picking (Daleys).
How to harvest: Clip mature fruit; there is usually a 2 to 3 week window after peak ripeness (IFAS).
Storing and preserving achacha
How to keep it
- freezing. Freeze whole fruit and eat like a sorbet, or scoop flesh, deseed and freeze in portions. Keeps: No sourced figure; eaten frozen (achacha.com.au).
- fresh_storage. Keep whole fruit in a cool room, not the fridge, out of direct sun. Keeps: Up to 2 weeks at 21 to 24 degrees; up to 6 weeks at 13 to 18 degrees and 80 percent humidity (IFAS).
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 Achacha
When do you plant achacha 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 Feb, Oct to Dec
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Nov to Dec
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): not recommended
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Oct to Nov
When should I plant Achacha in Cairns?
Fruits December to March. The first commercial plantation is near Townsville (achacha.com.au). Shade seedlings to 1 m and water twice a week (IFAS). Planting months are our estimate for a nursery tree: plant in the warm, wet months so the roots settle before any dry or cool weather.
How do I know when Achacha are ready to harvest?
Dark orange peel; light orange fruit has not reached full sweetness (IFAS). Fruit does not ripen after picking (Daleys).
What are the best Achacha varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Grafted achacha under plant breeders rights (Daleys), Seedling achacha (Daleys).
Are achacha salt tolerant?
No. Achacha 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 Tropical zone, Cairns is its reference city.