When to Plant Rue 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 Rue 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
- Apr to Jul
- Days to harvest
- about 16 weeks
- Sun
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 50 cm apart
- Soil pH
- 6.5–7.5
Rue is a hardy, evergreen, strongly aromatic perennial with blue-green divided leaves and clusters of small yellow flowers in late spring and summer.
Published · By GardenBuddy.au
Planting dates, current conditions and prices on this page update daily.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Planting Calendar for Tropical
- Jan -
- Feb -
- Mar -
- Apr S/D
- May S/T/D
- Jun S/T/D
- Jul T
- Aug -
- Sep -
- Oct -
- Nov -
- Dec -
S = Seed Tray T = Transplant D = Direct Sow
Want a nudge when it is sowing time?
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How to Grow Rue in Tropical Australia
- Soil
- Lean, sandy, gravelly, or dry well-draining soil
- Salt
- Moderately sensitive. Copes with a little salt, but the harvest drops on salty bore water.
- pH Range
- 6.5-7.5
- Sunlight
- Full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sun a day
- Spacing
- 50cm apart, 45cm between rows
- Watering
- let the soil dry out between waterings, then water thoroughly
- Good companions
- Fig (traditional companion), Carrot, Lavender, Brussels Sprouts, Catnip
- Keep away from
- Basil, Broccoli, Sage
Tropical Growing Tips for Rue
Key Challenges
- Root Rot: Plants collapse in waterlogged pots or beds
- Green peach aphid: They suck sap from soft growth, which causes distorted tips and sticky honeydew
- Swallowtail caterpillars (possible orchard swallowtail): They chew leaves and can strip young plants
Pro Tips
- Light feeder; requires little to no fertiliser, though a light compost top-dressing in spring is beneficial
- Apply a gravel or light straw mulch around the base to keep root crowns dry and reduce weeds
- Prune back woody stems heavily in early spring to encourage fresh, bushy growth and prevent leggy stems
Pests and problems for Rue in Tropical
- Root Rot Plant in well-drained soil that does not waterlog, use raised beds in high-rainfall areas, and do not overwater established plants. Watch
- Green peach aphid Green peach aphid: They suck sap from soft growth, which causes distorted tips and sticky honeydew Watch
- Swallowtail caterpillars (possible orchard swallowtail) Swallowtail caterpillars (possible orchard swallowtail): They chew leaves and can strip young plants Watch
Harvesting Rue
When ready: Harvest blue-green leaves when stems reach 20 to 30 cm tall before yellow flowers fully bloom
How to harvest: Snip leafy stem tips using clean shears or snips; wear gloves to prevent skin irritation from plant sap
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 Rue
When do you plant rue in Australia?
It depends on your climate zone, not the calendar month alone. Planting months by zone:
- Tropical (Cairns): Apr to Jul
- Subtropical (Brisbane): Mar to Jun, Aug to Oct
- Warm Temperate (Sydney): Aug to Nov
- Cool Temperate (Melbourne): Sep to Nov
- Cold / Highland (Canberra): Oct to Dec
- Arid / Semi-Arid (Alice Springs): Mar to Apr, Aug to Oct
- Mediterranean (Perth): Mar to Apr, Aug to Nov
Can you grow rue all year round in Cairns?
No. In the Tropical zone the planting months are Apr to Jul. Outside that window it either bolts, sulks or gets cut down by the weather.
When should I plant Rue in Cairns?
Rue copes with warmth but rots in constant wet, so grow it in a pot with gritty mix and wear gloves, as the sap can blister skin.
What soil temperature do Rue need?
Rue germinate best when soil temperature is between 18°C and 22°C.
How do I know when Rue are ready to harvest?
Harvest blue-green leaves when stems reach 20 to 30 cm tall before yellow flowers fully bloom
What grows well with Rue?
Good companion plants for Rue include: Fig, Carrot, Lavender, Brussels Sprouts, Catnip.
Are rue salt tolerant?
Only a little. Rue 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.