When to Plant Lilly Pilly 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 Lilly Pilly 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
- Mar to May, Oct to Nov
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
Lilly pillies are Australian rainforest trees and hedges with tart pink to purple berries. All the fruit is edible, but some taste better. Brush cherry (Syzygium australe) is the one recommended for eating.
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 P
- Apr P
- May P
- Jun -
- Jul -
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Yates says it thrives in tropical, subtropical and frost free warm temperate zones. Brush cherry fruits in summer and autumn. Riberry fruits December to February (a US nursery page, Top Tropicals). Planting months are our estimate: avoid the peak wet season.
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How to Grow Lilly Pilly in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, free draining soil with plenty of organic matter (Yates, Love The Garden).
- Salt
- Sensitive. Struggles with salty bore water or salty soil. Give it rainwater if you can.
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade, protected from strong winds (Yates).
- Keep away from
- Bushland edges (S. smithii is a weed in Victoria), Waterlogged soil
Tropical Growing Tips for Lilly Pilly
Recommended Varieties
- Brush cherry (S. australe)
- Riberry (S. luehmannii)
- Creek lilly pilly (S. smithii, frost hardy but weedy in Victoria)
Key Challenges
- Wet season rots
- Psyllids
Pro Tips
- Choose resistant types
- Mound the soil
Pests and problems for Lilly Pilly in Tropical
Harvesting Lilly Pilly
When ready: Fruit is ripe when it colours pink to dark red and drops. The berries are tart (Yates).
How to harvest: Pick ripe berries by hand or collect fallen fruit.
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 Lilly Pilly
When do you plant lilly pilly in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Mar to May, Oct to Nov
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to May, Sep to Nov
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Mar to Apr, Sep to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): not recommended
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to Apr, Sep to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to May, Sep to Oct
When should I plant Lilly Pilly in Cairns?
Yates says it thrives in tropical, subtropical and frost free warm temperate zones. Brush cherry fruits in summer and autumn. Riberry fruits December to February (a US nursery page, Top Tropicals). Planting months are our estimate: avoid the peak wet season.
How do I know when Lilly Pilly are ready to harvest?
Fruit is ripe when it colours pink to dark red and drops. The berries are tart (Yates).
What are the best Lilly Pilly varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Brush cherry (S. australe), Riberry (S. luehmannii), Creek lilly pilly (S. smithii, frost hardy but weedy in Victoria).
Are lilly pilly salt tolerant?
No. Lilly pilly 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.