When to Plant Angelica in Cairns, Tropical Guide
Soil temperature is modelled from Open-Meteo forecast (Cairns), not a live sensor.
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 Angelica 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.
- Days to harvest
- about 13 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Regular
- Spacing
- 45 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.0
A tall, stately biennial herb native to northern Europe, grown for its aromatic stems, leaves and seeds. Angelica prefers cool, moist conditions and struggles in hot Australian summers.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
Angelica is not recommended for Tropical.
Angelica is a cool-climate biennial and does not survive tropical heat and humidity. Not recommended for this zone.
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How to Grow Angelica in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well-drained loam with plenty of organic matter
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-7.0
- Sunlight
- Part shade to full sun in cool areas; afternoon shade essential in warm zones
- Spacing
- 45cm apart, 60cm between rows
- Watering
- Keep consistently moist but not waterlogged. Mulch heavily to retain soil moisture. Will wilt quickly in dry conditions.
- Good companions
- Chives, Mint, Lemon Balm
- Keep away from
- Dill, Fennel
Tropical Growing Tips for Angelica
Recommended Varieties
- Standard Angelica archangelica, not well suited to tropical conditions
Key Challenges
- Heat stress above 30C
- Humidity causes fungal issues
- Short cool season insufficient for biennial cycle
Pro Tips
- Grow in large pots in deep shade
- Consider substituting with Vietnamese coriander for similar culinary uses
- Not recommended for this zone
Pests and problems for Angelica in Tropical
Harvesting Angelica
When ready: Leaves can be harvested once plant is well established (30cm+). Stems best harvested in late spring of second year before flowering. Seeds harvested when brown and dry.
How to harvest: Cut outer leaves as needed. Cut stems at base for candying. Cut seed heads when browning and dry in paper bag.
Storing and preserving angelica
How to keep it
- Drying leaves. Harvest leaves before flowering. Hang in bundles in dry, dark, well-ventilated area for 1-2 weeks. Strip dried leaves from stems and store. Keeps: 12 months in airtight jar.
- Freezing. Chop fresh leaves, pack into ice cube trays with water or olive oil. Freeze and transfer to bags. Keeps: 6 months.
- Candied stems. Cut young stems in spring. Simmer in sugar syrup (1:1 sugar:water) for 20 minutes. Drain, coat in caster sugar, dry on rack for 24-48 hours. Traditional cake decoration. Keeps: 6-12 months in airtight container.
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 Angelica
When do you plant angelica in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): not recommended
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May, Jul to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Feb to May, Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Mar to Apr, Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): not recommended
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May
When should I plant Angelica in Cairns?
Angelica is a cool-climate biennial and does not survive tropical heat and humidity. Not recommended for this zone.
What soil temperature do Angelica need?
Angelica germinate best when soil temperature is between 10°C and 25°C.
How do I know when Angelica are ready to harvest?
Leaves can be harvested once plant is well established (30cm+). Stems best harvested in late spring of second year before flowering. Seeds harvested when brown and dry.
What are the best Angelica varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Standard Angelica archangelica, not well suited to tropical conditions.
What grows well with Angelica?
Good companion plants for Angelica include: Chives, Mint, Lemon Balm.
Are angelica salt tolerant?
Only a little. Angelica are moderately sensitive to salt, so the harvest drops on salty bore water. Mix salty water with rainwater, and mulch the bed.
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.