umbrella bambooFargesia murielaeShrub, Bamboo- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Plants starting with U: water needs by California climate zone
Each plant shows its water use rating for each of the six California climate zones. Minutes opens the sprinkler calculator with the plant and a climate city preset.
umbrella bambooFargesia murielaeShrub, Bamboo
umbrella bambooFargesia spathacea (Thamnocalamus spathaceus)Shrub, Bamboo- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
umbrella catalpaCatalpa bungeiTree- NCL
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
umbrella dracenaDianella ensifoliaPerennial- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
umbrella palmHedyscepe canterburyanaTree, Palm or cycad- NC?
- CV?
- SCH
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
umbrella plant/Indian rhubarbDarmera peltata (Peltiphyllum)Perennial, California native- NCH
- CVH
- SCH
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
umbrella sedge/papyrusCyperus spp. (CA native and non-native species)Perennial, California native- NCH
- CVH
- SCH
- SIH
- HDH
- LDH
Undaunted(TM) ruby muhlyMuhlenbergia reverchonii 'PUND01S'Ornamental grass- NCL
- CVL
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
upside-down fernArachniodes standishii (SHADE)Perennial- NC?
- CVH
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
urn flowerUrceolina urceolataBulb- NC?
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
urn flowered alumrootHeuchera elegansPerennial, California native- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SIL
- HD?
- LD?
Utah AgaveAgave utahensisSucculent- NCVL
- CVVL
- SCVL
- SIVL
- HDVL
- LDVL
Utah service berryAmelanchier utahensisShrub, California native- NCM
- CVM
- SC?
- SIL
- HD?
- LD?
Utopia flax lilyDianella prunina "Utopia"Perennial- NCM
- CV?
- SCL
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Photo credits, 14 images from Wikimedia Commons
- umbrella bamboo: IKAl, CC BY-SA 2.5 (licence)
- umbrella bamboo: Daderot, CC0 (licence)
- umbrella catalpa: HorsePunchKid, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- umbrella dracena: Patrice78500, Public domain
- umbrella palm: Kahuroa, Public domain
- umbrella plant/Indian rhubarb: Wouter Hagens, Public domain
- umbrella sedge/papyrus: Kurt Stüber, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Undaunted(TM) ruby muhly: Daderot, CC0 (licence)
- upside-down fern: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- urn flower: Video13, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- urn flowered alumroot: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Utah Agave: USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database, Public domain
- Utah service berry: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Utopia flax lily: Stickpen, Public domain
Zones: NC North-Central Coastal, CV Central Valley, SC South Coastal, SI South Inland, HD High and Intermediate Desert, LD Low Desert. Ratings: VL very low water, L low, M moderate, H high, ? not rated for that zone, × not suited to that zone. Ratings are the University of California WUCOLS IV list.
How to use this list
- MinutesOpen the calculator with this plant set. The preset city is in a zone where WUCOLS rates the plant. Set your sprinkler type and watering days.
- GuideRead a plant watering guide. Links appear for plants covered by our 1023 written guides.
- PlanBuild your personal watering plan. Put your plants and city together for monthly sprinkler minutes on a printable sheet.
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant list, University of California, snapshot of the live databaseRead August 23, 2026 on ucanr.edu/sites/WUCOLS
- Appendix C reference evapotranspiration table behind the six zonesRead August 23, 2026 on water.ca.gov/-/media/DWR-Website/Web-Pages/Programs/Water-Use-And-Efficiency/MWELO-Rulemaking/Final-MWELO-Text-and-Appendices_20250103.pdf