When to Plant Date Palm 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 Date Palm 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
- Oct to Dec
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Date palm is the desert palm behind Medjool, Barhee and Khadrawy dates.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Best Planting Window for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr -
- May -
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. A Mulambin QLD palm grows well under heavy mulch with a sprinkler, but fruit needs almost no rain during ripening and overhead moisture cracks the fruit (Morton). Palms grow; fruit is unlikely, so no fruit months are given.
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How to Grow Date Palm in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Good drainage (Daleys). Sand, sandy loam, clay and heavy soils with drainage and aeration; very tolerant of alkali, stunted by excess salt (Morton).
- Salt
- Tolerant. One of the better picks if your water or soil is on the salty side.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun (Daleys, Morton). A Geelong grower found seedlings burn in full sun at first (Daleys review).
- Keep away from
- Waterholes, creeks and wet bushland in dry country, it naturalises (Weeds of Australia), Overhead sprinklers on fruit (Morton)
Tropical Growing Tips for Date Palm
Recommended Varieties
- Medjool (seedling of Californian Medjool)
- Barhee (honey date, sweetest)
- Khadrawy (Daleys)
Key Challenges
- Wet season on the fruit
Pro Tips
- Grow it for shade, not fruit
Pests and problems for Date Palm in Tropical
Harvesting Date Palm
When ready: Khalal is full size and crunchy, rutab half ripe and soft brown, tamar fully ripe and wrinkled (Morton).
How to harvest: Cut the bunch or pick in several rounds; orchards make 6 to 8 pickings per palm (Morton).
Storing and preserving date palm
How to keep it
- dehydrating. Leave bunches on the palm to the tamar stage, or finish drying in a dehydrator. Keeps: Months once dried (Morton describes tamar stage dates).
- freezing. Select good dates, wash, cut open and remove the pit; leave halves or sieve to a puree; pack leaving headspace, seal and freeze (NCHFP). Keeps: Up to 12 months in a sealed container (NCHFP general guidance).
- fresh_storage. Pick at the stage you like, keep in sealed containers in the fridge. Keeps: Up to 10 months at 0 degrees slightly underripe; 5 to 6 months fully ripe (Morton).
- jams_sauces. Date paste, syrup and date sugar (Morton). Keeps: Use a tested method.
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 Date Palm
When do you plant date palm in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Oct to Dec
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Oct to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Sep to Nov
- Mediterranean (Perth): Sep to Nov
When should I plant Date Palm in Cairns?
You might be able to grow it here under the right conditions. A Mulambin QLD palm grows well under heavy mulch with a sprinkler, but fruit needs almost no rain during ripening and overhead moisture cracks the fruit (Morton). Palms grow; fruit is unlikely, so no fruit months are given.
How do I know when Date Palm are ready to harvest?
Khalal is full size and crunchy, rutab half ripe and soft brown, tamar fully ripe and wrinkled (Morton).
What are the best Date Palm varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Medjool (seedling of Californian Medjool), Barhee (honey date, sweetest), Khadrawy (Daleys).
Are date palm salt tolerant?
Yes. Date palm are salt-tolerant, one of the better picks if your water or soil is on the salty side.
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.