# What to plant in January in Dubai

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

**Bloom and harvest begin.** Climate: mean high 24.4°C, mean low 15.3°C, rain 20.8 mm. 38 plants to sow or plant, 31 in flower, fruit or harvest.

## Overview

January is the month Dubai gardeners wait the other eleven for. Daytime highs average 24°C, nights fall to about 15°C, the soil is cool but never cold, and the vegetables you sowed in autumn are heading for the kitchen. Winter bedding such as [Petunia](https://plantguide.ae/plants/petunia.md) and [Marigold](https://plantguide.ae/plants/marigold.md) is in full colour, and the garden finally feels like somewhere to sit rather than somewhere to manage.

It is still a very good planting month. Trees, palms and shrubs set out now have the whole of the cool season to root before April's heat, and quick leafy crops, herbs and radishes can go in every fortnight for a steady harvest. January is also one of the months when rain is most likely, around 21 mm in a typical year, so check the forecast before the irrigation controller fires. Deadhead bedding, feed what is flowering, and resist the urge to overwater: cool nights keep the soil damp for longer than it looks.

## Sow or plant in January (38)

### Vegetables & herbs

- **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 · [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

- **Petunia** (petunia) — Petunia × atkinsiana · بترونيا · flower, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 2 salt 2 drought 2 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Jan–Feb, Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/petunia.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)

### 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

- **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 (31)

- Sidr (sidr): flowering, fruiting
- Bougainvillea (bougainvillea): flowering
- Hibiscus (hibiscus): 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
- Rosemary (rosemary): flowering
- Cherry tomato (cherry-tomato): flowering, fruiting, harvest
- Bird of paradise (bird-of-paradise): flowering
- Lemon tree (lemon-tree): harvest
- Papaya (papaya): flowering
- Chilli (chilli): flowering, harvest
- Aubergine (aubergine): flowering, 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
- 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, dry weather — the best month to be in the garden

**Garden**
- Finish planting trees, palms and shrubs while temperatures are mild
- Sow or plant out winter bedding, herbs and leafy vegetables
- Cut back and tidy summer-flowering shrubs after their last flush
- Watch new soft growth for aphids, which thrive in cooler weather

**Pool**
- Keep weekly chemical balance checks; demand is lower but chlorine still off-gasses
- Check the pump and filter run-time now that the pool is used less

## Tips

- **Sow leafy crops little and often.** Lettuce, rocket, spinach, coriander and radishes grow fast in cool weather. Sow a short row every two weeks rather than one big bed, so the harvest runs through to March instead of arriving in a single glut.
- **Plant trees and shrubs now.** A tree or shrub set out in January gets about three mild months to root before the heat builds. Water deeply at planting and keep the rootball moist, not soggy.
- **Deadhead to keep bedding flowering.** Pinch spent flowers off petunias and marigolds each week. It stops them setting seed and keeps colour coming into March.
- **Feed what is flowering.** A balanced slow-release feed under flowering shrubs and bedding supports the display. Leave anything dormant alone.
- **Let the rain do some of the work.** Dubai's most likely rain falls from December to March. Pause the irrigation controller after a shower instead of watering on top of it.

## Watch out for

- **Aphids on soft new growth.** Cool, mild weather suits aphids. Check the tips of roses, hibiscus and new bedding every few days, and treat early with a strong jet of water or insecticidal soap.
- **Overwatering on cool nights.** Soil dries more slowly in winter, and roots sitting wet will rot. Push a finger 5 cm into the soil before you water.
- **A bare frangipani is not a dead one.** [Frangipani](https://plantguide.ae/plants/frangipani.md) and other leaf-drop plants stand bare in winter. That is dormancy. Wait for the new leaves before you pull anything out.

## Related guides

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

Previous: [December](https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/december.md) · Next: [February](https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/february.md)