How to grow Kakadu Plum in Australia
Kakadu plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana), also called gubinge, billygoat plum or anmarlak, is a slender native tree of the tropical woodlands from the Kimberley to Arnhem Land. Its small, pale green fruit has one of the highest vitamin C levels of any natural food. It is a tree for the hot tropics, slow to start, and best bought as a nursery plant.
📖 Our full guide: How to Grow Kakadu Plum in Australia
At a glance
When to plant by region
| Region | When to plant | Regional note |
|---|---|---|
| South East Queensland | September to February | |
| Northern Rivers NSW | September to February | |
| Sydney & Coastal NSW | September to February | Marginal. A tropical northern native that fruits poorly after cool winters. Plant in a warm, sheltered, frost free spot near the coast; western Sydney frosts damage young trees. |
| Melbourne & Victoria | Not suited | Not viable. Needs tropical or warm subtropical conditions. |
| Adelaide & SA | Not suited | Not viable. Needs tropical or warm subtropical conditions. |
| Perth & WA | Not suited | Not viable. Needs tropical conditions. |
| Tasmania | Not suited | Unsuitable. Tropical northern native. Not viable in Tasmania. |
| Canberra & ACT | Not suited | Not viable. Needs tropical conditions. |
| North Queensland | September to February | Native to the NT and the Kimberley rather than Queensland, but it grows in the similar wet and dry climate of North QLD. |
| Darwin & Top End | September to March | Native to Darwin region. Thrives in local conditions. |
Where to plant
In the wild, Kakadu plum grows in open eucalypt woodland on sandy, peaty or clay soils around sandstone and ironstone, across the Kimberley coast of Western Australia and the western Top End of the Northern Territory. Give it full sun, good drainage and a frost-free spot. It is deciduous, dropping its leaves in the dry season, and tolerates heat and dry spells once established.
Wild Kakadu plum is a valuable bush food, and the Northern Territory Government manages wild harvest to protect native populations. Buy plants from a nursery rather than collecting from the wild.
- Darwin and the Top End: its home climate. Plant from September to March, in the wet season.
- North Queensland: plant from September to February. It grows in the tropical north, though it is not native to Queensland.
- South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers: plant from September to February in the warmest, frost-free spot. Expect slower growth and lighter crops than in the tropics.
- Sydney: marginal. Plant in a warm, sheltered, frost-free spot near the coast; it fruits poorly after cool winters, and western Sydney frosts damage young trees.
- Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra and Hobart: our calendar marks these as unsuitable.
How to plant
- Plant a nursery-grown tree at the start of the wet season so it can establish while rain is reliable.
- Choose a sunny, well-drained spot.
- Plant at the same depth it sat in its pot, water in deeply and mulch, keeping the mulch clear of the trunk.
- Water young trees through their first dry seasons until the roots are settled.
Watering and feeding
Water young trees regularly through their first one or two dry seasons. Once established, Kakadu plum needs little extra water, as it is adapted to long dry seasons. Mulch to hold moisture and keep down weeds.
Feed lightly, if at all, with a slow-release fertiliser for native plants in the wet season.
Harvesting
Small, cream, perfumed flowers appear on spikes from about September to December, and the fruit ripens from about March. Ripe fruit is about 2 cm across, very pale yellow-green, sometimes pinkish, with one large seed. Pick it from the tree or collect it as it falls.
The fruit is very sour and astringent, so it is usually cooked or processed. Freeze fresh fruit, or make it into jam, sauce or powder.
Using it
Kakadu plum has been eaten and used as bush medicine by Aboriginal people for thousands of years. It is used in jams, sauces, chutneys and drinks, and dried as a powder. Its high vitamin C content means it is also used as a natural preservative in food.
Varieties
- Kakadu Plum
Companion planting
Kakadu plum grows naturally as part of tropical eucalypt woodland, so it sits well in a native planting.
Good companions
- Native plants Local tropical natives share the same sun, soil and seasonal dry, and together make a low-water woodland planting.
Pests and diseases
Few pests or diseases are recorded for Kakadu plum in gardens. Birds and fruit fly are the main threats to the fruit.
Pests to watch for
- Fruit fly Small puncture marks and rot in ripening fruit. Pick fruit promptly and collect fallen fruit.
- Birds Fruit taken from the tree as it ripens. Net small trees.
Kakadu Plum is rarely troubled by disease.
Common questions
Where does Kakadu plum grow?
It is native to the tropical woodlands of the Kimberley in Western Australia and the western Top End of the Northern Territory. It grows best in hot, tropical gardens with a wet and dry season and does poorly in cool climates.
When is Kakadu plum fruit ripe?
From about March, through autumn and into early winter. Ripe fruit is small, very pale yellow-green and sometimes pinkish, with one large seed.
Can I eat Kakadu plums raw?
You can, but they are very sour and astringent, so most people cook them into jam or sauce, or dry them into powder.
Why is Kakadu plum famous?
Its fruit has one of the highest vitamin C levels recorded for any natural food, far higher than oranges, and it has long been a traditional bush food and medicine.
Can I grow Kakadu plum in Brisbane or Sydney?
In south east Queensland it grows in a warm, frost-free spot, but more slowly than in the tropics. In Sydney it is marginal, fruits poorly after cool winters and needs frost protection.
Can I collect Kakadu plums from the wild?
Wild harvest is managed by the Northern Territory Government to protect native populations, and may need permission. Buy a tree from a nursery and grow your own.
Sources we checked: Wikipedia: Terminalia ferdinandiana (Kakadu plum).