valley oakQuercus lobataTree, California native, Arboretum All-Star- NCL
- CVL
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LD×
Plants starting with V: 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.
valley oakQuercus lobataTree, California native, Arboretum All-Star
Valley SedgeCarex barbaraeOrnamental grass, California native- NCL
- CVL
- SCM
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
Valley Violet ceanothusCeanothus maritimus 'Valley Violet'Ground cover, California native, Arboretum All-Star- NCL
- CVL
- SCL
- SIL
- HD×
- LD×
Vancouver Gold genistaGenista pilosa 'Vancouver Gold'Ground cover, Shrub- NCM
- CVM
- SC×
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
Vancouver Jade BarberryArctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Vancouver Jade'Ground cover- NCL
- CVL
- SCL
- SI×
- HD?
- LD×
Vandenberg ceanothusCeanothus impressus 'Vandenberg'Shrub, California native- NCL
- CVL
- SCL
- SIL
- HD×
- LD×
Vandenberg manzanitaArctostaphylos purissima 'Vandenberg'Shrub, California native- NCL
- CV?
- SCL
- SI?
- HD×
- LD×
Vanilla Brandy AbeliaAbelia × grandiflora 'Bailbeliaone' Vanilla Brandy™Shrub- NC?
- CVM
- SCH
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
vanilla grassAnthoxanthum nitens ssp. nitens (Hierochloe odorata)Ornamental grass, California native- NC?
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Vanilla Strawberry HydrangeaHydrangea paniculata 'Renhy' Vanilla Strawberry™Shrub- NC?
- CVM
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
vanilla trumpet vineDistictis laxifloraVine- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
vara prietaCaesalpinia californicaShrub- NC×
- CVL
- SCVL
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
variegated black horehoundBallota nigra 'Archer's Variety'Perennial- NC?
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Variegated Century PlantAgave americana var. marginataSucculent- NCVL
- CVVL
- SCL
- SIVL
- HDVL
- LDVL
variegated Chinese lanternAbutilon pictum thompsoniiShrub- NCM
- CVH
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LD?
variegated Chinese temple bambooSinobambusa tootsik 'Albostriata'Shrub, Bamboo- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
variegated dwarf myrtleHypocalymma cordifolium 'Golden Veil'Ground cover- NCM
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
variegated gingerAlpinia sanderaePerennial- NCH
- CVH
- SCH
- SIH
- HD×
- LD×
variegated kiwiActinidia kolomiktaVine- NCM
- CV?
- SC×
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
variegated mintleafPlectranthus madagascariensis 'Variegated Mintleaf'Ground cover, Perennial- NC?
- CV?
- SCM
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
Variegated Murphys AgaveAgave murpheyi 'Rodney'Succulent- NCVL
- CVVL
- SCL
- SIVL
- HDVL
- LDVL
Variegated Smooth AgaveAgave desmettiana 'Variegata'Succulent- NCVL
- CVVL
- SCL
- SIVL
- HDVL
- LDVL
variegated water grassGlyceria maxima 'Variegata'Ornamental grass- NCH
- CV?
- SCH
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
veitch magnoliaMagnolia x veitchiiTree- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
velvet centaureaCentaurea gymnocarpaPerennial- NCL
- CVL
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LD?
velvet groundselRoldana petasitis (Senecio petasitis)Shrub- NCL
- CVM
- SCM
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
velvet mesquiteProsopis velutinaTree- NC×
- CVL
- SCL
- SIL
- HDL
- LDL
velvet slipperSinningia tubifloraPerennial- NCM
- CVM
- SCL
- SIM
- HD?
- LD?
venus thistleCirsium occidentalePerennial, California native- NCVL
- CVL
- SCVL
- SIL
- HD?
- LD?
verbena (bonariensis)Verbena bonariensis ssp. & cvs.Perennial- NCL
- CVL
- SCL
- SIM
- HDM
- LDM
Verde Vista coprosmaCoprosma petriei 'Verde Vista'Ground cover, Shrub- NCL
- CVL
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LD×
veronicaVeronica spp.Perennial- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SI×
- HD×
- LDM
veronica/speedwellParahebe perfoliataPerennial- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
vervainVerbena rigidaGround cover, Perennial- NCL
- CVM
- SCL
- SIL
- HDM
- LDM
vetiverChrysopogon zizanioides (Vetiveria zizanioides)Ornamental grass- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SIL
- HD?
- LD?
viburnum (rhytidophylloides)Viburnum x rhytidophylloidesShrub- NCM
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Victoria California LilacCeanothus thyrsiflorus 'Victoria'Shrub- NCL
- CVL
- SCVL
- SIM
- HD×
- LD×
Victorian boxPittosporum undulatumTree- NCL
- CVL
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LD×
Victorian dogwoodProstanthera lasianthosShrub- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
- NC?
- CV?
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
vine alstroemeriaBomarea spp. (SHADE)Vine- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Vine Hill ManzanitaArctostaphylos densiflorusShrub- NCL
- CVL
- SCL
- SIL
- HD?
- LD×
vine mapleAcer circinatumShrub, Tree, California native- NCM
- CVH
- SCH
- SI×
- HD×
- LD×
- NCL
- CVL
- SCL
- SIL
- HD×
- LD×
Vintage Jade distyliumDistylium 'Vintage Jade'Shrub- NC?
- CVM
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Vintage Jade DistyliumDistylium 'Vintage Jade'Shrub- NC?
- CVM
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
violet (japonica)Viola japonicaPerennial- NCM
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
violet cloud hybrid skullcapScutellaria x 'Violet Cloud'Perennial- NC?
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
violet squillLedebouria socialis (Scilla violacea)Bulb- NCM
- CV?
- SCL
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
violet stork's billPelargonium ionidiflorumPerennial- NCM
- CV?
- SC?
- SIM
- HD×
- LD×
violet trumpet vineClytostoma callistegioidesVine, Arboretum All-Star- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LDM
violet tubeflowerIochroma cyaneaShrub- NCM
- CV×
- SCM
- SIM
- HD×
- LD×
violet westringiaWestringia glabraShrub- NCL
- CV?
- SCL
- SI?
- HD×
- LD?
Virgin River BrittlebushEncelia virginensisShrub- NCM
- CV?
- SC×
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Virginia bluebellsMertensia virginicaPerennial- NCM
- CV?
- SC?
- SI×
- HD?
- LD?
Virginia creeperParthenocissus quinquefolia ssp. & cvs.Ground cover, Vine- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SIM
- HDM
- LDM
Virginia sweetspireItea virginicaShrub- NCM
- CV?
- SC?
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
volstruisnekEuphorbia clandestinaPerennial, Succulent- NC?
- CV?
- SCVL
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
voodoo lilyDracunculus vulgarisPerennial- NCL
- CVVL
- SCL
- SIL
- HD?
- LD?
voodoo lilyPinellia tripartitaPerennial- NCM
- CV?
- SCM
- SIL
- HD?
- LD?
Vulcan magnoliaMagnolia x 'Vulcan'Tree- NCM
- CVM
- SCM
- SI?
- HD?
- LD?
Photo credits, 59 images from Wikimedia Commons
- valley oak: Miguel Vieira from Walnut Creek, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (licence)
- Valley Sedge: AerobicFox, CC0 (licence)
- Valley Violet ceanothus: John Rusk from Berkeley, CA, United States of America, CC BY 2.0 (licence)
- Vancouver Gold genista: Christian Fischer, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Vancouver Jade Barberry: Robert Flogaus-Faust, CC BY 4.0 (licence)
- Vandenberg ceanothus: Theactivistuk, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- Vandenberg manzanita: Daderot, CC0 (licence)
- Vanilla Brandy Abelia: Gmihail at Serbian Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 rs (licence)
- vanilla grass: Andrey Zharkikh from Salt Lake City, USA, CC BY 2.0 (licence)
- Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- vanilla trumpet vine: Alex Popovkin, Bahia, Brazil from Brazil, CC BY 2.0 (licence)
- vara prieta: Vishalmannepalli, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- variegated black horehound: Stefan.lefnaer, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- Variegated Century Plant: Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- variegated Chinese lantern: Jsfouche, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- variegated Chinese temple bamboo: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- variegated dwarf myrtle: 阿橋 HQ, CC BY-SA 2.0 (licence)
- variegated ginger: Obsidian Soul, CC0 (licence)
- variegated kiwi: Ralf Roletschek, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- variegated mintleaf: Dysmorodrepanis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Variegated Murphys Agave: Digigalos, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Variegated Smooth Agave: 阿橋 HQ, CC BY-SA 2.0 (licence)
- variegated water grass: Rasbak, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- veitch magnolia: Daderot, CC0 (licence)
- velvet centaurea: Stickpen, Public domain
- velvet groundsel: Michael Wolf, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- velvet mesquite: Sue in az, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- velvet slipper: peganum, CC BY-SA 2.0 (licence)
- venus thistle: Wing-Chi Poon, CC BY-SA 2.5 (licence)
- verbena (bonariensis): frank wouters, CC BY 2.0 (licence)
- Verde Vista coprosma: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- veronica: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- veronica/speedwell: Kurt Stüber, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- vervain: Franz Xaver, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- vetiver: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 (licence)
- viburnum (rhytidophylloides): 阿橋 HQ, CC BY-SA 2.0 (licence)
- Victoria California Lilac: A. Barra, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- Victorian box: Geoff Derrin, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- Victorian dogwood: Melburnian, CC BY 3.0 (licence)
- vine alstroemeria: Eric Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.5 (licence)
- Vine Hill Manzanita: Dcskagirl, CC BY 4.0 (licence)
- vine maple: Walter Siegmund, CC BY 2.5 (licence)
- Vintage Jade distylium: KENPEI, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Vintage Jade Distylium: 岸本年郎, CC BY 4.0 (licence)
- violet (japonica): Qwert1234, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- violet cloud hybrid skullcap: Avustfel, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- violet squill: Dysmorodrepanis, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- violet stork's bill: Dinkum, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- violet trumpet vine: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 (licence)
- violet tubeflower: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- violet westringia: Melburnian, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Virgin River Brittlebush: Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- Virginia bluebells: Khan "Sadh" N. Mostafa, CC BY 2.0 (licence)
- Virginia creeper: Tasja, Public domain
- Virginia sweetspire: User:SB_Johnny, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
- volstruisnek: SAplants, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- voodoo lily: Jörg Hempel, CC BY-SA 3.0 de (licence)
- voodoo lily: Marek Argent, CC BY-SA 4.0 (licence)
- Vulcan magnolia: Magnus Manske, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)
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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