WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Justicia carnea, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Brazilian plume flower in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Brazilian plume flower in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 12 gallons a week. Brazilian plume flower is a tender evergreen shrub from Brazil that reaches 5 to 8 feet in good conditions. Its lush, dark green leaves are purple underneath, and plumes of bright pink flowers appear from midsummer on. It grows in bright, indirect light or part shade and needs protection from frost.

ShrubRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water Brazilian plume flower, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 ft
Your soil

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.

Every month, on your water days. The personal plan prints this for Brazilian plume flower and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

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.

Which soil do you have?

Dig down a few inches, take a handful of moist soil and squeeze it.

  • Sandy: gritty, falls apart when you open your hand, will not form a ball.
  • Loam: forms a soft ball that crumbles when you poke it.
  • Clay: forms a firm, sticky ball and squeezes out into a ribbon between thumb and finger.

Still not sure? Pick loam. Most garden beds sit between sand and clay.

How to measure plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry an inch or two down under the shrub in summer means Brazilian plume flower needs water
  • Large soft leaves wilting by midday point to a dry root zone
  • Flower plumes fading fast in a warm spell can follow dry soil
  • Yellow lower leaves over soggy, waterlogged soil point to too much water

How to water it

  • Water regularly in dry spells, keeping the soil moist but not soggy
  • Wet the root zone about 6 to 8 inches deep each time
  • Plant in bright shade or part shade in loam-based soil
  • Pinch or trim shoot tips to keep it bushy
  • Trim lightly in early spring before new growth

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly while they settle. Established plants need steady water in dry spells, more in hot inland valleys, without letting the soil turn soggy. Flowers come from midsummer onward. Frost damages it, so shelter it in cold snaps. WUCOLS rates Brazilian plume flower moderate water on the north-central coast. In the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland it carries a high water rating. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert and has not evaluated it for the low desert.

In pots

Brazilian plume flower thrives in a container on a shaded patio. Use a loam-based, well-drained mix. Water when the top inch is dry, until it drains through. In summer, check every day or two, since its big leaves lose water fast. Avoid waterlogging, and empty the saucer. Repot every year or two into fresh mix. In winter, keep it frost free and water less.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
4.27gal per sq ft in JulyHigh water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
27.38 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
1.12.13.24.30.64JAN1.04FEB1.74MAR2.43APR3.32MAY3.97JUN4.27JUL3.82AUG2.88SEP1.88OCT0.89NOV0.55DEC1.12.13.24.30.64JFM2.43AMJ4.27JAS1.88OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 4.27 in Jul, 27.38 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Brazilian Plume Flower: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.641.241.24––
Feb0.531.041.291.39––
Mar0.871.741.842.08––
Apr1.182.432.232.58––
May1.463.322.583.12––
Jun1.613.972.783.67––
Jul1.614.273.174.02––
Aug1.493.822.983.72––
Sep1.242.882.382.98––
Oct0.871.881.842.13––
Nov0.470.891.341.44––
Dec0.310.551.041.09––
Year1227.3824.829.46––

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 high water in the Central Valley, like Brazilian plume flower. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla & cvs.high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBlueberriesVaccinium hybrids and cvs (CA native and non- native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyShell GingerAlpinia zerumbethigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBog RosemaryAndromeda polifoliahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBlood Twig DogwoodCornus sanguineahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed-veined EnkianthusEnkianthus campanulatushigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyAbyssinian BananaEnsete ventricosumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyClimbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala petiolarishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulySnowball HydrangeaHydrangea arborescenshigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyLacecap HydrangeaHydrangea aspera villosahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBananaMusa spp. (shade in low desert)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWillowSalix spp. (shrubs)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyVine MapleAcer circinatumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBig Leaf MapleAcer macrophyllumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWhite AlderAlnus rhombifoliahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed AlderAlnus rubra (Alnus oregona)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Brazilian plume flower in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBambooBambusa spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyLilacsSyringa hybrids (including Descanso hybrids)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySpireaSpiraea spp. (CA native and non native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyButterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWestern ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Brazilian plume flower, 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 Brazilian plume flower in summer?

In July, established Brazilian plume flower in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days in the Central Valley, about every 7 days on the south coast and about every 5 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 Brazilian plume flower need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Brazilian plume flower needs about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 6.9 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 Brazilian plume flower change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Brazilian plume flower separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, high water in the Central Valley zone, high water in the South Coastal zone, high water in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not evaluated in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Does Brazilian plume flower need shade?

It grows best in bright, indirect light and tolerates partial shade. It can take some sun. A bright, shaded patio suits it well.

When does Brazilian plume flower bloom?

Pink flower plumes appear from midsummer onward. Remove dead or yellow leaves to keep it tidy. Water through bloom.

Is Brazilian plume flower frost hardy?

No, it is tender and needs protection from frost. Move pots to a cool, bright, frost-free place. Cover garden plants on cold nights.

How do I keep Brazilian plume flower bushy?

Pinch or prune shoot tips during the growing season. Trim lightly in early spring. Old, leggy plants can be cut back hard in spring.

How do I propagate Brazilian plume flower?

Take semi-ripe cuttings in spring or early summer. Keep them moist and shaded. Pot them up once rooted.

More plant watering guides

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Sources