# What to plant in December in Dubai

Canonical: https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/december · Updated: 2026-10-05
Source: Ghaf Gardens (https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/december)

**Prime planting, cool and calm.** Climate: mean high 26.5°C, mean low 17.4°C, rain 16 mm. 43 plants to sow or plant, 38 in flower, fruit or harvest.

## Overview

December is the calm centre of the planting season. Highs settle around 26°C, nights near 17°C, and rain becomes possible, about 16 mm in an average December. Roots grow steadily in these conditions, and anything planted now has three or four months of mild weather before the heat returns. Trees, palms, shrubs and climbers all go in, bedding fills gaps, and a final sowing of salad leaves, radishes, spring onions and herbs keeps the kitchen supplied into February.

It is also the month for light, formative pruning on trees such as [Ghaf](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ghaf.md) and [Sidr](https://plantguide.ae/plants/sidr.md), which builds a strong framework while growth is slow. Watch for cool-season pests, particularly aphids on soft new growth, and cut irrigation back as the nights lengthen. Pause the controller after rain. Winter colour planted in October is at its best now, and the garden is at its most usable, so make the most of it.

## Sow or plant in December (43)

### Vegetables & herbs

- **Cherry tomato** (cherry-tomato) — Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme · طماطم كرزية · vegetable, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 2 salt 1 drought 2 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Sep–Dec · sow · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/cherry-tomato.md)
- **Lettuce** (lettuce) — Lactuca sativa · خس · vegetable, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 1 salt 2 drought 1 shade 3 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · sow + plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/lettuce.md)
- **Coriander** (coriander) — Coriandrum sativum · كزبرة · herb, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 1 salt 2 drought 1 shade 3 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · sow · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/coriander.md)

### Flowers

- **Gazania** (gazania) — Gazania rigens · غازانيا · flower, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Dec · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/gazania.md)
- **Sunflower** (sunflower) — Helianthus annuus · عباد الشمس · flower, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 2 salt 2 drought 3 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Dec · sow · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/sunflower.md)
- **Cosmos** (cosmos) — Cosmos bipinnatus · flower, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 3 salt 2 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Dec · sow · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/cosmos.md)
- **Snapdragon** (snapdragon) — Antirrhinum majus · flower, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 2 salt 2 drought 2 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Jan · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/snapdragon.md)
- **Dianthus** (dianthus) — Dianthus chinensis · flower, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 2 salt 2 drought 3 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Dec · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/dianthus.md)

### Trees & palms

- **Ghaf** (ghaf) — Prosopis cineraria · غاف · tree, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ghaf.md)
- **Sidr** (sidr) — Ziziphus spina-christi · سدر · tree, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/sidr.md)
- **Samr** (samr) — Vachellia tortilis · سمر · tree, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/samr.md)
- **Tamarisk** (tamarisk) — Tamarix aphylla · أثل · tree, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/tamarisk.md)
- **Neem** (neem) — Azadirachta indica · نيم · tree, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 3 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/neem.md)
- **Frangipani** (frangipani) — Plumeria rubra · فرانجيباني · tree, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/frangipani.md)
- **Olive** (olive) — Olea europaea · زيتون · tree, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 3 drought 5 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/olive.md)
- **Pomegranate** (pomegranate) — Punica granatum · رمان · fruit-tree, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pomegranate.md)
- **Mulberry** (mulberry) — Morus alba · توت · fruit-tree, adapted · full sun, moderate water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 4 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/mulberry.md)
- **Pink Trumpet Tree** (pink-trumpet-tree) — Tabebuia rosea · تابوبيا وردية · tree, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pink-trumpet-tree.md)
- **Golden Shower Tree** (golden-shower-tree) — Cassia fistula · خيار شنبر · tree, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 3 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/golden-shower-tree.md)
- **Yellow Trumpet Tree** (tabebuia-yellow) — Tabebuia aurea · tree, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/tabebuia-yellow.md)
- **Date Palm** (date-palm) — Phoenix dactylifera · نخيل التمر · palm, native · full sun, moderate water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 4 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/date-palm.md)
- **Lemon tree** (lemon-tree) — Citrus × limon · ليمون · fruit-tree, adapted · full sun, moderate water · heat 3 salt 1 drought 2 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/lemon-tree.md)
- **Fig** (fig) — Ficus carica · تين · fruit-tree, adapted · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 3 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/fig.md)
- **Royal Poinciana** (royal-poinciana) — Delonix regia · بونسيانة · tree, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/royal-poinciana.md)
- **Bottlebrush** (bottlebrush) — Callistemon viminalis · tree, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 3 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/bottlebrush.md)
- **Parkinsonia** (parkinsonia) — Parkinsonia aculeata · شوك القدس · tree, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/parkinsonia.md)

### Shrubs & climbers

- **Arak** (arak) — Salvadora persica · أراك · shrub, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 5 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/arak.md)
- **Hopbush** (hopbush) — Dodonaea viscosa · مشراس · shrub, native · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Feb · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/hopbush.md)
- **Sesuvium** (sesuvium) — Sesuvium portulacastrum · groundcover, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 5 drought 4 shade 2 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/sesuvium.md)
- **Sea Jasmine** (sea-jasmine) — Clerodendrum inerme · ياسمين بري · shrub, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 4 salt 5 drought 4 shade 2 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/sea-jasmine.md)
- **Duranta** (duranta) — Duranta erecta · shrub, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 3 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/duranta.md)
- **Jatropha** (jatropha) — Jatropha integerrima · shrub, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 3 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/jatropha.md)
- **Plumbago** (plumbago) — Plumbago auriculata · shrub, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/plumbago.md)
- **Ruellia** (ruellia) — Ruellia simplex · shrub, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 3 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ruellia.md)
- **Natal Plum** (natal-plum) — Carissa macrocarpa · shrub, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 4 salt 4 drought 4 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/natal-plum.md)
- **Ficus Nitida** (ficus-nitida) — Ficus microcarpa 'Nitida' · تين الغار · shrub, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 3 shade 3 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/ficus-nitida.md)
- **Acalypha** (acalypha) — Acalypha wilkesiana · shrub, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 2 shade 3 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/acalypha.md)

### Lawn & grasses

- **Desert grass** (desert-grass) — Pennisetum divisum · ثمام · ornamental-grass, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 4 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Sep–Dec · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/desert-grass.md)
- **Lomandra** (lomandra) — Lomandra longifolia · ornamental-grass, exotic · sun to part shade, low water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 4 shade 3 ease 5 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/lomandra.md)
- **Purple fountain grass** (fountain-grass) — Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' · ornamental-grass, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 4 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/fountain-grass.md)
- **Pink muhly** (pink-muhly) — Muhlenbergia capillaris · ornamental-grass, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 4 salt 4 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pink-muhly.md)
- **Mondo grass** (mondo-grass) — Ophiopogon japonicus · ornamental-grass, exotic · part shade, moderate water · heat 3 salt 4 drought 2 shade 5 ease 4 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/mondo-grass.md)
- **Pampas grass** (pampas-grass) — Cortaderia selloana · ornamental-grass, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 4 drought 3 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Oct–Mar · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/pampas-grass.md)

## In flower, fruit or harvest (38)

- Sidr (sidr): flowering
- Samr (samr): fruiting
- Royal Poinciana (royal-poinciana): fruiting
- Foxtail Palm (foxtail-palm): fruiting
- Bougainvillea (bougainvillea): flowering
- Hibiscus (hibiscus): flowering
- Yellow Bells (yellow-bells): flowering
- Petunia (petunia): flowering
- Marigold (marigold): flowering
- Zinnia (zinnia): flowering
- Aloe vera (aloe-vera): flowering
- Crown of thorns (crown-of-thorns): flowering
- Mint (mint): harvest
- Basil (basil): flowering, harvest
- Cherry tomato (cherry-tomato): flowering, fruiting
- Banana (banana): fruiting
- Bird of paradise (bird-of-paradise): flowering
- Lemon tree (lemon-tree): harvest
- Papaya (papaya): flowering
- Chilli (chilli): flowering, harvest
- Aubergine (aubergine): flowering, harvest
- Cucumber (cucumber): harvest
- Lettuce (lettuce): harvest
- Curry leaf (curry-leaf): harvest
- Coriander (coriander): harvest
- Jatropha (jatropha): flowering
- Plumbago (plumbago): flowering
- Natal Plum (natal-plum): fruiting
- Golden Shower Tree (golden-shower-tree): fruiting
- Pink muhly (pink-muhly): flowering
- Pampas grass (pampas-grass): flowering
- Gazania (gazania): flowering
- Sunflower (sunflower): flowering
- Snapdragon (snapdragon): flowering
- Dianthus (dianthus): flowering
- Cosmos (cosmos): flowering
- Jade Plant (jade-plant): flowering
- Kalanchoe (kalanchoe): flowering

## Jobs this month: Cool weather planting and formative pruning

**Garden**
- Plant trees and palms while the cool season continues
- Carry out light formative pruning on trees such as Ghaf and Sidr
- Watch for cool-season pests such as aphids on new growth
- Keep an eye on rain forecasts and pause irrigation after rainfall

**Pool**
- Continue weekly chemical balance checks through the cooler month
- Check the pump and filter run-time now that the pool is used less

## Tips

- **Plant trees and palms.** Cool, steady weather lets roots establish without stress. Water deeply at planting and keep the rootball moist.
- **Do light formative pruning.** Shape young trees such as ghaf and sidr now, removing crossing or low branches, while growth is slow.
- **Fill gaps with bedding.** Replace tired summer annuals and bare patches with cool-season colour.
- **Keep sowing salad and herbs.** Lettuce, radishes, spring onions, coriander and parsley all keep going. Sow a short row every two weeks.
- **Pause irrigation after rain.** Check the forecast. A skipped irrigation cycle after a wet day saves water and prevents root rot.

## Watch out for

- **Aphids.** They love soft new growth in cool weather. Check the shoot tips of roses, hibiscus and new plantings weekly.
- **Slugs, snails and fungal problems.** Cool, slightly damp weather brings them out. Water in the morning, and keep mulch off plant stems.
- **Overwatering.** Evaporation is low and the soil stays wet longer. Test the soil 5 cm down before watering.

## Related guides

- [The UAE planting calendar: what to plant in Dubai, month by month](https://plantguide.ae/guides/uae-planting-calendar)

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