# What to plant in Dubai in summer (Jun–Sep)

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

**The survival season.** Climate: average high 40.7°C, average low 29.9°C, total rain 0.8 mm. 29 plants to sow or plant, 57 in flower, fruit or harvest.

## Overview

We call June to September summer, a month longer than the calendar does, because the garden feels it that way. September's average high of 39.5°C is almost identical to June's 40°C, July and August reach 41.5 and 41.9°C, and the UAE's midday outdoor work ban runs from 15 June to 15 September. The heat does not break until October, so neither does the survival routine.

Summer is about water, shade and restraint. Water deeply and early, finishing before about 7am; DEWA's own advice is to avoid the middle of the day and water before 8am or after 6pm. Keep mulch 5 to 7 cm deep, hold 30 to 50% shade cloth over young plants, and check drip lines weekly, because a blocked emitter can kill a plant in days. Do not fertilise or prune hard. Local gardeners quoted by The National say overwatering, not heat, kills most summer plants, so check the soil 5 cm down before adding water.

Planting is limited to heat-lovers: okra, Malabar spinach, sweet potato, [Vinca](https://plantguide.ae/plants/vinca.md) and [Portulaca](https://plantguide.ae/plants/portulaca.md) in June, with little going out in July. August is for planning, soil preparation and seed trays started in shade: clear beds, flush salts with a deep irrigation, and add compost. September is gardening's new year, with warm-season vegetables, lawn overseeding and the first seedlings, all done with afternoon shade. Indoor plants and balcony pots make the best summer projects while the garden rests.

## Sow or plant in summer (29)

### Vegetables & herbs

- **Mint** (mint) — Mentha spicata · نعناع · herb, exotic · part shade, high water · heat 2 salt 1 drought 1 shade 3 ease 4 · plant/sow Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/mint.md)
- **Basil** (basil) — Ocimum basilicum · ريحان · herb, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 3 salt 1 drought 1 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Sep–Nov · sow · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/basil.md)
- **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)
- **Chilli** (chilli) — Capsicum annuum · فلفل حار · vegetable, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 3 salt 2 drought 2 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Feb–Apr, Aug–Nov · sow + plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/chilli.md)
- **Aubergine** (aubergine) — Solanum melongena · باذنجان · vegetable, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 2 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Feb–Mar, Aug–Nov · sow + plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/aubergine.md)
- **Cucumber** (cucumber) — Cucumis sativus · خيار · vegetable, exotic · full sun, high water · heat 2 salt 2 drought 1 shade 1 ease 3 · plant/sow Feb–Apr, Aug–Oct · sow + plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/cucumber.md)

### Flowers

- **Portulaca** (portulaca) — Portulaca grandiflora · flower, exotic · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Mar–Jun · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/portulaca.md)
- **Vinca** (vinca) — Catharanthus roseus · flower, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 4 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow May–Jun · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/vinca.md)
- **Marigold** (marigold) — Tagetes erecta · قطيفة · flower, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 3 salt 2 drought 3 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/marigold.md)
- **Zinnia** (zinnia) — Zinnia elegans · زينيا · flower, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Sep–Oct · sow · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zinnia.md)
- **Celosia** (celosia) — Celosia argentea · flower, exotic · full sun, moderate water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 3 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Mar–Jun · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/celosia.md)
- **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)
- **Heliconia** (heliconia) — Heliconia psittacorum · flower, exotic · part shade, high water · heat 2 salt 1 drought 1 shade 3 ease 2 · plant/sow Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/heliconia.md)

### Trees & palms

- **Moringa** (moringa) — Moringa oleifera · مورينجا · tree, adapted · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 3 drought 4 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/moringa.md)

### Shrubs & climbers

- **Aloe vera** (aloe-vera) — Aloe vera · صبر · succulent, adapted · sun to part shade, very low water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 5 shade 2 ease 5 · plant/sow Feb–Mar, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/aloe-vera.md)
- **Wedelia** (wedelia) — Sphagneticola trilobata · groundcover, exotic · sun to part shade, low water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 3 shade 3 ease 5 · plant/sow Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/wedelia.md)
- **Agave** (agave) — Agave americana · أغاف · succulent, exotic · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 3 drought 5 shade 1 ease 5 · plant/sow Mar, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/agave.md)
- **Desert Rose** (desert-rose) — Adenium obesum · وردة الصحراء · succulent, native · full sun, very low water · heat 5 salt 2 drought 5 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/desert-rose.md)
- **Crown of thorns** (crown-of-thorns) — Euphorbia milii · تاج الشوك · succulent, exotic · full sun, low water · heat 5 salt 3 drought 4 shade 2 ease 4 · plant/sow Sep–Nov · plant (advisory: caution) · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/crown-of-thorns.md)
- **Elephant ear** (elephant-ear) — Alocasia macrorrhizos · shrub, exotic · part shade, high water · heat 2 salt 1 drought 1 shade 5 ease 2 · plant/sow Mar–Apr, Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/elephant-ear.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)
- **Bermuda grass** (bermuda-grass) — Cynodon dactylon · ثيل · grass, adapted · full sun, moderate water · heat 5 salt 3 drought 5 shade 1 ease 4 · plant/sow Mar–May, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/bermuda-grass.md)
- **Seashore paspalum** (seashore-paspalum) — Paspalum vaginatum · باسبالم · grass, adapted · full sun, moderate water · heat 5 salt 5 drought 4 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Mar–May, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/seashore-paspalum.md)
- **Zoysia grass** (zoysia-grass) — Zoysia matrella · زويسيا · grass, exotic · sun to part shade, moderate water · heat 4 salt 3 drought 3 shade 4 ease 3 · plant/sow Mar–May, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/zoysia-grass.md)
- **St Augustine grass** (st-augustine-grass) — Stenotaphrum secundatum · grass, exotic · sun to part shade, high water · heat 3 salt 3 drought 2 shade 5 ease 2 · plant/sow Mar–May, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/st-augustine-grass.md)

### Indoor

- **Calathea** (calathea) — Goeppertia spp. (syn. Calathea) · indoor, exotic · part shade, moderate water · heat 1 salt 1 drought 1 shade 3 ease 2 · plant/sow Apr–Jun · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/calathea.md)

### Water plants

- **Umbrella Sedge** (umbrella-sedge) — Cyperus involucratus · aquatic, adapted · sun to part shade, high water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 2 shade 3 ease 4 · plant/sow Mar–Apr, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/umbrella-sedge.md)
- **Water Lily** (water-lily) — Nymphaea (tropical hybrids) · زنبق الماء · aquatic, exotic · sun to part shade, high water · heat 4 salt 1 drought 1 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Mar–May, Sep–Oct · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/water-lily.md)
- **Papyrus** (papyrus) — Cyperus papyrus · بردي · aquatic, exotic · sun to part shade, high water · heat 4 salt 2 drought 1 shade 2 ease 3 · plant/sow Mar–May, Sep–Nov · plant · [page](https://plantguide.ae/plants/papyrus.md)

## In flower, fruit or harvest (57)

- Ghaf (ghaf): fruiting
- Samr (samr): flowering, fruiting
- Neem (neem): fruiting
- Royal Poinciana (royal-poinciana): flowering, fruiting
- Frangipani (frangipani): flowering
- Olive (olive): fruiting
- Moringa (moringa): flowering, fruiting, harvest
- Date Palm (date-palm): fruiting, harvest
- Washingtonia Palm (washingtonia-palm): flowering, fruiting
- Foxtail Palm (foxtail-palm): flowering, fruiting
- Bismarck Palm (bismarck-palm): fruiting
- Arabian Jasmine (arabian-jasmine): flowering
- Ixora (ixora): flowering
- Hibiscus (hibiscus): flowering
- Oleander (oleander): flowering
- Lantana (lantana): flowering
- Arak (arak): fruiting
- Texas Sage (texas-sage): flowering
- Hopbush (hopbush): fruiting
- Sea Jasmine (sea-jasmine): flowering
- Desert Rose (desert-rose): flowering
- Vinca (vinca): flowering
- Portulaca (portulaca): flowering
- Wedelia (wedelia): flowering
- Banana (banana): flowering, fruiting
- Heliconia (heliconia): flowering
- Mango (mango): fruiting, harvest
- Fig (fig): fruiting, harvest
- Pomegranate (pomegranate): flowering, fruiting, harvest
- Guava (guava): fruiting, harvest
- Papaya (papaya): fruiting, harvest
- Mulberry (mulberry): fruiting, harvest
- Okra (okra): flowering, harvest
- Cucumber (cucumber): harvest
- Curry leaf (curry-leaf): flowering, fruiting, harvest
- Duranta (duranta): flowering, fruiting
- Jatropha (jatropha): flowering
- Ruellia (ruellia): flowering
- Natal Plum (natal-plum): fruiting
- Acalypha (acalypha): flowering
- Bottlebrush (bottlebrush): flowering
- Golden Shower Tree (golden-shower-tree): flowering, fruiting
- Parkinsonia (parkinsonia): fruiting
- Purple fountain grass (fountain-grass): flowering
- Lemongrass (lemongrass): harvest
- Mondo grass (mondo-grass): flowering, fruiting
- Vetiver (vetiver): flowering
- Coral vine (coral-vine): flowering
- Rangoon creeper (rangoon-creeper): flowering
- Allamanda (allamanda): flowering
- Passion flower (passion-flower): flowering
- Sesuvium (sesuvium): flowering
- Celosia (celosia): flowering
- Prickly Pear (prickly-pear): flowering, fruiting
- Golden Barrel Cactus (golden-barrel-cactus): flowering
- Water Lily (water-lily): flowering
- Lotus (lotus): flowering

## Month by month

- [June](https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/june.md): Survival month (mean high 40°C, low 28°C)
- [July](https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/july.md): Peak heat: survival month (mean high 41.5°C, low 31.2°C)
- [August](https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/august.md): Survival month, with next year's plans (mean high 41.9°C, low 31.5°C)
- [September](https://plantguide.ae/what-to-plant/september.md): Gardening's new year: prepare the soil (mean high 39.5°C, low 28.9°C)

## At a glance

- **Water before 7am.** DEWA advises avoiding the middle of the day. Early, deep watering keeps roots cool and leaves dry.
- **Shade and mulch.** 30 to 50% shade cloth and a 5 to 7 cm mulch layer are the two cheapest forms of insurance.
- **Almost nothing new goes in.** Only heat-lovers are worth planting in June and July; wait for autumn for everything else.
- **August is for preparation.** Flush salts, add compost and plan the autumn planting list while the garden rests.
- **September starts the new year.** Warm-season vegetables, lawn overseeding and seedlings all go in under afternoon shade.