When to Plant Pomegranate 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 Pomegranate 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
- May to Aug
- Sun
- Full sun
- Soil pH
- 5.5–8.0
Tough, drought-tolerant, heat-loving deciduous tree/large shrub from the Middle East. Produces fruit with jewel-like arils (seed sacs) packed with sweet-tart juice. Thrives in hot, dry climates with cold winters.
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 P
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
P = Planting window
Pomegranates like long hot summers but dry air, so wet season humidity causes fruit splitting and disease on the coast. They do better in drier spots like Townsville and inland, planted in very well drained soil.
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How to Grow Pomegranate in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Extremely tolerant. Grows in sand, clay, limestone, even slightly saline soil. Prefers well-drained but adapts to most conditions. One of the least fussy fruit trees regarding soil.
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 5.5-8.0
- Sunlight
- Full sun, maximum heat. The hotter the better for fruit sweetness.
- Good companions
- Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, lavender, thyme)
- Keep away from
- Nothing specific, very adaptable
Tropical Growing Tips for Pomegranate
Recommended Varieties
- Wonderful
- Gulosha Rosavaya
Key Challenges
- Insufficient winter cold for proper dormancy
- Excessive humidity
Pro Tips
- Not ideal for tropics. Trees may not leaf/flower properly without winter dormancy.
Pests and problems for Pomegranate in Tropical
Harvesting Pomegranate
When ready: Skin colour deepens (variety-specific red/pink). Metallic 'tink' sound when tapped (vs dull when unripe). Skin starts to look slightly angular (arils pressing against inside). Calyx flattens.
How to harvest: Cut with secateurs. Don't pull. Stem can tear skin.
Storing and preserving pomegranate
How to keep it
- Arils freezing. Separate arils, spread on tray, freeze, bag. Keeps: 12 months.
- Juicing. Roll fruit to loosen arils, cut in half, juice with citrus juicer or press arils through sieve. Freeze juice. Keeps: 12 months frozen.
- Pomegranate molasses. Simmer juice with sugar and lemon until reduced to thick syrup. Essential Middle Eastern condiment. Keeps: 12 months.
- Grenadine syrup. Simmer juice with sugar (1:1), reduce slightly. Strain and bottle. Keeps: 6 months refrigerated.
What pomegranate costs in the shops right now, retailer by retailer, updated daily.
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Common Questions About Pomegranate
When do you plant pomegranate in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): May to Aug
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Jun to Aug
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Jun to Aug
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jun to Aug
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Jul to Aug
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jun to Aug
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jun to Aug
When should I plant Pomegranate in Cairns?
Pomegranates like long hot summers but dry air, so wet season humidity causes fruit splitting and disease on the coast. They do better in drier spots like Townsville and inland, planted in very well drained soil.
How do I know when Pomegranate are ready to harvest?
Skin colour deepens (variety-specific red/pink). Metallic 'tink' sound when tapped (vs dull when unripe). Skin starts to look slightly angular (arils pressing against inside). Calyx flattens.
What are the best Pomegranate varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Wonderful, Gulosha Rosavaya.
What grows well with Pomegranate?
Good companion plants for Pomegranate include: Mediterranean herbs (rosemary, lavender, thyme).
Are pomegranate salt tolerant?
Only a little. Pomegranate 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.