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Explore North Queensland

Garden in the Dry Tropics

Townsville does not have four neat seasons. These notes follow the local wet and dry instead. Use them as a starting point and ask a local nursery about your own garden.

Find a local native plant

Native plants feed local birds and butterflies and cope with our dry tropics. Choose what suits your garden and the list changes to match.

  • Native ginger

    Alpinia caerulea Local to Townsville

    Clusters of round, shiny blue fruit on short stalks among long, glossy green leaves.
    Native ginger fruit. Photo: Ethel Aardvark, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A leafy clump for shady spots under trees, with bright blue fruit. It can be cut back hard if it gets untidy.

    • Herb or groundcover
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Part shade or full shade

    More about Native ginger (cdtli.org.au)

  • Blue trumpet

    Brunoniella australis Local to Townsville

    Two pale purple-blue, five-petalled flowers close to the ground among dark green leaves and leaf litter.
    Blue trumpet flowers. Photo: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A small groundcover with blue flowers. It dies back in dry times and sprouts again after rain.

    • Herb or groundcover
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Full sun or part shade
    • Bush tucker

    More about Blue trumpet (cdtli.org.au)

  • Beach bean

    Canavalia rosea Local to Townsville

    A single bright pink pea flower on a vine with broad, rounded green leaves.
    A beach bean flower, photographed in the Caribbean, where it also grows. Photo: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A fast-growing vine of local beaches with pink pea flowers. It copes with salt, sand and dry spells.

    • Vine or climber
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Full sun
    • Copes with salt
    • Bush tucker

    More about Beach bean (cdtli.org.au)

  • Native Dutchman’s pipe

    Aristolochia acuminata

    A curved, pipe-shaped flower, pale green with a dark purple tip, hanging among green leaves.
    A native Dutchman’s pipe flower. Photo: Nativeplants garden, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A rainforest vine that butterflies use. Young plants like shade and moist soil, then climb towards the sun.

    • Vine or climber
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Part shade or full shade

    More about Native Dutchman’s pipe (cdtli.org.au)

  • Conkerberry

    Carissa lanceolata Local to Townsville

    Slender stems of a shrub covered in small, glossy, light green leaves, in open bushland.
    Conkerberry leaves and stems. Photo: Mark Marathon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A tough, spiny shrub for dry, stony ground in full sun.

    • Shrub
    • Brings in birds
    • Full sun

    Take care: It has sharp thorns, so keep it away from paths.

    More about Conkerberry (cdtli.org.au)

  • Silver wattle

    Acacia holosericea

    Long, silvery green leaves with yellow, finger-like flower spikes and twisted seed pods.
    Silver wattle flowers, leaves and pods, near Rockhampton. Photo: Ethel Aardvark, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A quick-growing wattle with big silvery leaves and yellow flower spikes in winter. It lives about 10 years.

    • Shrub or tree
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Full sun
    • Bush tucker

    More about Silver wattle (cdtli.org.au)

  • Lemon myrtle

    Backhousia citriodora

    A round cluster of fluffy cream flowers among narrow, pointed green leaves.
    Lemon myrtle flowers on the Gold Coast. Photo: John Robert McPherson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A small tree with lemon-scented leaves. It can be kept trimmed as a hedge or screen.

    • Tree
    • Brings in bees, birds and butterflies
    • Full sun or part shade

    More about Lemon myrtle (cdtli.org.au)

  • Brown gardenia

    Atractocarpus fitzalanii

    A leafy small tree with large, glossy dark green leaves and a few small white flowers.
    Brown gardenia leaves and flowers. Photo: Steve Fitzgerald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A small rainforest tree with glossy leaves and perfumed white flowers in spring. It likes a sheltered spot and water in the dry.

    • Tree
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Part shade
    • Bush tucker

    More about Brown gardenia (cdtli.org.au)

  • Soap tree

    Alphitonia excelsa

    Long, pointed leaves, green on top and pale underneath, with small round green fruit on thin stalks.
    Soap tree leaves and fruit in Brisbane. Photo: John Robert McPherson, CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A small tree for sunny, open spots. Its leaves are green on top and white underneath.

    • Tree
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Full sun

    More about Soap tree (cdtli.org.au)

  • Coastal she-oak

    Casuarina equisetifolia Local to Townsville

    A tree with drooping, grey-green, needle-like branchlets beside a beach, with the sea behind.
    A coastal she-oak on the Capricorn Coast. Photo: Ethel Aardvark, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A beach tree with drooping, needle-like branchlets. It copes with sandy soil and salty wind.

    • Tree
    • Brings in birds
    • Full sun
    • Copes with salt

    More about Coastal she-oak (cdtli.org.au)

  • Milky pine

    Alstonia scholaris

    Whorls of long, oval green leaves with clusters of very long, thin seed pods hanging below.
    Milky pine leaves and seed pods in the Northern Territory. Photo: MargaretRDonald, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A fast-growing, tall tree for parks and big yards. In strong winds it drops branches and then grows a new crown.

    • Tree
    • Brings in bees and butterflies
    • Full sun
    • Stands up to cyclones

    More about Milky pine (cdtli.org.au)

  • Black bean

    Castanospermum australe

    Clusters of large red and yellow pea-like flowers growing along a branch, among dark green leaves.
    Black bean flowers. Photo: Ethel Aardvark, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

    A large shade tree with red and yellow flowers. It needs lots of room: plant it well away from pipes and buildings.

    • Tree
    • Brings in birds and butterflies
    • Full sun

    Take care: The seeds are poisonous.

    More about Black bean (cdtli.org.au)

These are a few of many local plants. Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare, a volunteer group that restores native bush and removes weeds around Townsville, grows plants from local seed at its Bush Garden Nursery in Rowes Bay. Browse CDTLI’s full plant library (cdtli.org.au) or visit the nursery (cdtli.org.au).

Plant facts follow CDTLI’s plant library, checked on 2026-10-22. Never eat a wild plant unless someone who knows it well has identified it.

Draft. Written by Henari. A local horticultural reviewer has not yet approved these notes.

A pond covered in water lily pads, ringed by palms and tall gum trees under a clear sky.
Water lilies, palms and gum trees around a pond at the Townsville Palmetum. Photo: Naga G.

The garden year

Build-up
Hot, humid and mostly dry, with storms starting to build.
Getting ready for the wet
Heat and humidity peak and the first heavy rain can arrive.
The wet
Heavy rain, high humidity, and the chance of cyclones and flooding.
Wet to dry
Rain eases, nights start to cool, and the soil is still moist.
Cooler dry
Mild days, cool nights and little rain. The main growing season for many vegetables.
Late dry
Days warm up quickly and the ground is at its driest.

Month by month

  1. January The wet

    Why now: Rain does the watering for you, but soggy ground and heat stress plants.

    • Keep drains and gutters clear.
    • Pull weeds while the soil is soft.
    • Pick fruit and vegetables often so pests do not settle in.
    Water
    Turn off automatic watering when it has rained.
    Soil and mulch
    Check where water pools after storms and plan to improve drainage there.
    Habitat
    Leave a few flowering natives for nectar-feeding birds and insects.
    Take care
    Cyclone season. Tie down or put away loose pots, furniture and tools.

  2. February The wet

    Why now: Often the wettest stretch of the year. Fungus and pests thrive in the humidity.

    • Remove leaves with mould or fungus and put them in the bin, not the compost.
    • Give plants room for air to move between them.
    Water
    Empty saucers and containers so mosquitoes cannot breed.
    Soil and mulch
    Top up mulch that heavy rain has washed away.
    Habitat
    A shallow, clean water dish in shade helps birds between storms. Change it often.
    Take care
    Cyclone and flood season. Keep your household plan up to date.

  3. March The wet

    Why now: Late rain keeps the soil moist, which is good for getting new plants established.

    • Plant natives that like a wet start.
    • Start planning the beds for the cooler months.
    Water
    Let the rain do the work. Check pots under cover, which can still dry out.
    Soil and mulch
    Add compost to beds you will plant in April and May.
    Habitat
    Ask a local nursery about native plants grown from local seed.
    Take care
    Cyclones are still possible.

  4. April Wet to dry

    Why now: The heat starts to ease while the soil still holds water. A good time to plant.

    • Start sowing for the cooler dry season.
    • Plant trees and shrubs so they settle before the dry.
    Water
    Water deeply but less often, so roots grow down.
    Soil and mulch
    Mulch new plantings well to hold moisture as the rain stops.
    Habitat
    Plant a mix of flowers that bloom at different times for pollinators.

  5. May Cooler dry

    Why now: Mild weather and fewer pests make this the easiest time to grow food.

    • Keep sowing and planting vegetables and herbs.
    • Stake plants before they get heavy.
    Water
    Water early in the morning. Check soil moisture with a finger first.
    Soil and mulch
    Feed vegetable beds with compost.
    Habitat
    Leave some leaf litter under shrubs for lizards and insects.

  6. June Cooler dry

    Why now: Cool nights and steady sun. Plants grow well with regular water.

    • Harvest often.
    • Sow again every few weeks for a longer harvest.
    Water
    Use a drip line or watering can at the base of plants instead of a sprinkler.
    Soil and mulch
    Keep mulch a hand’s width away from stems.
    Habitat
    A good month to plant native grasses and groundcovers.

  7. July Cooler dry

    Why now: The middle of the growing season. Little rain, so watering matters.

    • Keep picking and replanting.
    • Prune shrubs that have finished flowering.
    Water
    Follow Council water-wise guidance.
    Soil and mulch
    Make compost from spent plants that are not diseased.
    Habitat
    Nest boxes and dense shrubs give birds shelter.

  8. August Cooler dry

    Why now: Days warm up again. Plan for the heat ahead.

    • Finish the last cool-season sowings.
    • Work out which beds will get shade cloth.
    Water
    Check irrigation for leaks before the hot months.
    Soil and mulch
    Thick mulch now protects the soil through the late dry.
    Habitat
    Notice which plants the birds and bees visit most.

  9. September Late dry

    Why now: Heat returns, rain is rare and the ground is driest.

    • Put up shade for tender plants.
    • Clear dry, dead material away from the house.
    Water
    Water in the early morning. Group thirsty pots together.
    Soil and mulch
    Keep soil covered. Bare ground bakes and loses water fast.
    Habitat
    Keep a clean water dish in shade for birds.
    Take care
    Dry grass and garden waste can catch fire. Follow local fire rules.

  10. October Build-up

    Why now: Hot and humid with little rain yet. Plants and people both feel the heat.

    • Harvest what is left of the cool-season crops.
    • Choose heat-tolerant plants for summer.
    Water
    Deep, occasional watering beats a daily sprinkle.
    Soil and mulch
    Top up mulch before the big rains.
    Habitat
    Join the Aussie Bird Count if it is on, and notice who visits your garden.
    Take care
    Garden in the cool of the morning or evening. Drink water and wear a hat.

  11. November Build-up

    Why now: Storms start. Get the garden ready for the wet.

    • Trim branches that hang over the roof.
    • Clear gutters and drains.
    Water
    Turn off automatic watering when storms arrive.
    Soil and mulch
    Fix low spots where water will pool.
    Habitat
    Leave some seed heads standing for birds.
    Take care
    Storm and cyclone season is starting. Check your household plan.

  12. December Getting ready for the wet

    Why now: Heat and humidity peak, and heavy rain can arrive any time.

    • Tie or put away anything wind can lift.
    • Plant tropical natives that like the wet.
    Water
    Collect rainwater if you can, and keep it covered.
    Soil and mulch
    Mulch well but keep it clear of the house to discourage termites.
    Habitat
    Water birds will move as wetlands fill.
    Take care
    Cyclone season. Know your evacuation zone.

Checked . Review due .

Local help

Before planting something new, check it is not a declared weed in Queensland.