When to Plant Queensland Arrowroot 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 Queensland Arrowroot 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
- All year
- Days to harvest
- about 26 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun to part shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 30 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.6–7.3
Queensland arrowroot is a tall canna, 1 to 2 m, grown for its starchy rhizome tubers and as a mulch and stock feed plant (Green Harvest, Daleys, Jerry Coleby-Williams).
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 P
- May P
- Jun P
- Jul P
- Aug P
- Sep P
- Oct P
- Nov P
- Dec P
P = Planting window
Plant rhizome pieces any month; Green Harvest lists it for tropical areas and says to plant all year. Set them 30 cm apart (Green Harvest) and dig young tubers at tennis-ball size from about 6 months. Keep it away from waterways, where it spreads by seed and rhizome (Lucid).
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How to Grow Queensland Arrowroot in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Rich, moist, well drained soil (Green Harvest).
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.6-7.3
- Sunlight
- Full sun to part shade (Daleys).
- Spacing
- 30cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- Moderate to ample water (Daleys, Green Harvest).
- Grow before it
- Fruiting crops (Tomato, Capsicum, Zucchini)
- Grow after it
- Legumes (Beans - Dwarf, Peas, Broad Beans)
Give the bed 3 turns before root crops go back in. Roots fork and go leafy in fresh manure, so they take the bed after the heavy feeders have used it.
Tropical Growing Tips for Queensland Arrowroot
Recommended Varieties
- Queensland arrowroot (Daleys)
Key Challenges
- Weedy near waterways
Pro Tips
- Plant well away from drains
Pests and problems for Queensland Arrowroot in Tropical
Harvesting Queensland Arrowroot
When ready: Tubers at tennis-ball size, from about 6 months; older tubers go fibrous (Green Harvest, Daleys).
How to harvest: Dig a clump, take the young tubers, replant the rest (Green Harvest).
Storing and preserving queensland arrowroot
How to keep it
- Arrowroot flour. Grate tubers, wash the starch out in water, let it settle, pour off, dry the starch (Green Harvest mentions flour; method not detailed in the sources opened). Keeps: 12 months.
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 Queensland Arrowroot
When do you plant queensland arrowroot in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): all year
- Subtropical (Brisbane): all year
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): all year
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Jan to Feb, Sep to Dec
- Mediterranean (Perth): Jan to Mar, Sep to Dec
Can you grow queensland arrowroot all year round in Cairns?
Yes, every month is on the calendar for the Tropical zone, though not every month is equally easy. Plant rhizome pieces any month; Green Harvest lists it for tropical areas and says to plant all year. Set them 30 cm apart (Green Harvest) and dig young tubers at tennis-ball size from about 6 months. Keep it away from waterways, where it spreads by seed and rhizome (Lucid).
When should I plant Queensland Arrowroot in Cairns?
Plant rhizome pieces any month; Green Harvest lists it for tropical areas and says to plant all year. Set them 30 cm apart (Green Harvest) and dig young tubers at tennis-ball size from about 6 months. Keep it away from waterways, where it spreads by seed and rhizome (Lucid).
How do I know when Queensland Arrowroot are ready to harvest?
Tubers at tennis-ball size, from about 6 months; older tubers go fibrous (Green Harvest, Daleys).
What are the best Queensland Arrowroot varieties for Cairns?
Recommended varieties for the Tropical zone include: Queensland arrowroot (Daleys).
Are queensland arrowroot salt tolerant?
Only a little. Queensland arrowroot 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.