How often to water banana shrub in California
In July in the Central Valley, established banana shrub in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 7.6 gallons a week. Banana shrub is an evergreen magnolia relative that grows at a medium pace to 6 to 10 feet tall and wide, then slowly toward 20 feet. In mid to late spring it opens cream to yellow flowers with a strong scent of ripe banana or cantaloupe. It prefers partial shade, shelter from strong wind and fertile, acidic, evenly moist soil.
How often to water banana shrub, month by month
Type your city above and the days between waterings and the gallons appear here, worked out from your city's climate table. Or read the figures by climate zone further down.
How this is worked out: established roots fill the top 1.5 feet of soil, and you water again when that soil has dried halfway. Loam soil holds about 1.5 inches of water per foot. Water the whole area the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.
How to tell it needs water
- Mulch pulled back to reveal dry soil a couple of inches down in summer tells you banana shrub needs water
- Leaves turning yellow-green in full sun point to too much light rather than thirst
- Leaf edges browning after a dry, windy spell can follow dry soil
- Yellowing and decline in waterlogged soil point to too much water
How to water it
- Water regularly so the soil stays evenly moist all year
- Avoid letting the soil become either too dry or too wet
- Plant in partial shade in fertile, acidic, sandy loam with organic matter
- Shelter it from strong winds
- Prune soon after bloom, since next year's buds form by early summer
Through the seasons
Water a new shrub steadily through its first year. Established plants still want consistent, regular moisture all year, never too dry and never too wet, with mulch over the root zone in winter. It blooms in mid to late spring, and a late frost can damage the flowers. Along the north-central coast, through the Central Valley, on the south coast and across South Inland, banana shrub gets a moderate water rating from WUCOLS. It is marked as not suited to either desert zone.
In pots
Banana shrub grows well in a large container near a door or seat, where its scent drifts in. Use a fertile, acidic, well-drained mix. When the surface inch has dried, pour until water seeps from the holes. In summer, check every day or two. Keep the saucer empty. Prune right after flowering. In winter, keep the mix lightly moist and protect the pot from hard frost.
- A year
- 17.11 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Banana Shrub: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.37 | 0.4 | 0.78 | 0.78 | – | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | 0.65 | 0.81 | 0.87 | – | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | 1.09 | 1.15 | 1.3 | – | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | 1.52 | 1.4 | 1.61 | – | – |
| May | 1.46 | 2.08 | 1.61 | 1.95 | – | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | 2.48 | 1.74 | 2.29 | – | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | 2.67 | 1.98 | 2.51 | – | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | 2.39 | 1.86 | 2.33 | – | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | 1.8 | 1.49 | 1.86 | – | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | 1.18 | 1.15 | 1.33 | – | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | 0.56 | 0.84 | 0.9 | – | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | 0.34 | 0.65 | 0.68 | – | – |
| Year | 12 | 17.11 | 15.5 | 18.41 | – | – |
How this is worked out: the WUCOLS water rating for each zone times that zone’s climate for the month. A dash means WUCOLS does not rate the plant there. The figures are what the plant uses, before sprinkler losses.
Plants with the same water needs 16
Rated moderate water in the Central Valley, like banana shrub. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
AzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
CamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
GardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
HibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Sago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Star JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
ArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
BambooBambusa spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
LilacsSyringa hybrids (including Descanso hybrids)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
SpireaSpiraea spp. (CA native and non native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Butterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
SageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Red BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Western ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySimilar plants that need less water 16
Rated lower than banana shrub in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.
LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
RosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
BougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Olive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
LantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
AloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
JunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Russian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Wild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
CoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Sydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Blue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes banana shrub, your sprinkler type and the month, and gives the minutes per water day for that supplier's schedule. Or put it in a zone of the personal watering plan and get all twelve months printed.
Questions people ask
How often should I water banana shrub in summer?
In July, established banana shrub in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley, about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 days in the South Inland zone. Sandy soil holds less water, so waterings come closer together. Clay stretches them. Check the soil before each watering and skip one after a soaking rain.
How much water does banana shrub need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established banana shrub needs about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 4.3 gallons a day for a plant 8 feet across. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.
Does watering for banana shrub change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates banana shrub separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.
What does banana shrub smell like?
Its flowers smell like ripe banana or cantaloupe. Some cultivars have flowers up to 4 inches across. Plant it near a path or window.
Does banana shrub need shade?
It prefers partial shade but tolerates full sun. In full sun the leaves may turn yellow-green. Inland, afternoon shade helps.
When should I prune banana shrub?
Prune soon after it blooms. Next year's flower buds form by early summer. It tolerates severe pruning.
Is banana shrub salt tolerant?
It is slightly salt tolerant. It still needs shelter from strong wind. Keep the soil evenly moist.
Why did my banana shrub flowers turn brown?
A late frost can damage the blossoms. Avoid warm spots that push buds to open early. Mulch the roots in winter.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Magnolia figo (Michelia figo), the University of California survey California agencies use for landscape plan reviewRead August 23, 2026 on wucols.ucdavis.edu
- Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance, adopted text and appendices, effective 2025-01-02 · monthly reference evapotranspiration per city, Appendix CRead 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
- UC Statewide IPM Program, irrigation scheduling using evapotranspirationRead September 30, 2026 on ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/ENVIRON/evap.html
- Shaw and Pittenger, Landscape Irrigation System Evaluation and Management, UC Cooperative Extension, 2009Read September 30, 2026 on ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2013-02/160836.pdf
- Pittenger, Water Management in Gardens and Landscapes, UC Riverside, 2017Read September 30, 2026 on ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2017-03/258022.pdf