WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Ligustrum ovalifolium, WUCOLS IV

How often to water California privet in California

In July in the Central Valley, established California privet in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 3.0 gallons a week. California privet, despite its name, comes from Japan. It is a fast, upright, semi-evergreen shrub to about 15 feet with oval, glossy green leaves. Dense clusters of small, heavily scented white flowers open in summer, followed by shiny black berries. It makes a quick hedge, but birds spread its seeds and it is invasive in many places.

ShrubRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water California privet, 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 California privet 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 3 to 4 inches down under the hedge in summer signals California privet needs a soak
  • Leaves dropping in summer when grown dry shows the root zone has run short
  • Leaves wilting at the shoot tips through the afternoon can indicate thirst
  • Yellowing leaves with soggy soil at the base suggest overwatering or poor drainage

How to water it

  • Run drip lines along both sides of a hedge so every plant gets water
  • Soak about a foot down, then let the top few inches dry
  • Plant in sun to light shade in well-drained soil
  • Shear regularly, since fewer flowers means fewer berries and seedlings
  • Pull seedlings promptly, since they come up everywhere

Through the seasons

Water a new hedge regularly through its first summer while roots spread. Established plants grow fast and tolerate dry spells, but they drop some leaves in summer if grown dry and in winter as well. Flowers come in summer, then black berries. Frequent shearing is needed, especially in hot, wet weather. WUCOLS rates California privet low water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. It rates moderate water on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

California privet can be clipped into a formal shape in a large container. Use well-drained mix and water when the top couple of inches dry, letting excess drain away. In summer heat, check every few days. Empty the saucer each time. Shear regularly to keep the shape and limit berries. In winter, rain may be enough, so feel the mix before you water.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.631.31.92.50.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.631.31.92.50.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

California Privet: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.780.78––
Feb0.210.260.810.87––
Mar0.350.431.151.3––
Apr0.470.611.41.61––
May0.580.831.611.95––
Jun0.640.991.742.29––
Jul0.641.071.982.51––
Aug0.60.951.862.33––
Sep0.50.721.491.86––
Oct0.350.471.151.33––
Nov0.190.220.840.9––
Dec0.120.140.650.68––
Year4.86.8415.518.41––

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 low water in the Central Valley, like California privet. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCrape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBlue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow water, Central Valley1.07 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 California privet, 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 California privet in summer?

In July, established California privet in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 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 California privet need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established California privet needs about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 1.7 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 California privet change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates California privet separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not evaluated 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.

Is California privet invasive?

Yes, it is listed as invasive in many states, and seedlings come up everywhere. Birds spread the berries. Regular shearing cuts down on flowers and fruit.

Is California privet poisonous?

Yes, it is harmful if eaten, including to dogs. Keep children and pets away from the berries. Wear gloves when handling it.

How far apart should I plant a privet hedge?

Set plants close together for a dense hedge. Water the whole line, not just each plant. Expect frequent shearing in summer.

Why is my privet losing leaves?

It is semi-evergreen and drops some leaves in winter. It also sheds leaves in summer when grown dry.

Do privet flowers smell?

Yes, the small white flowers are heavily scented, and some people find the smell unpleasant. Regular shearing reduces flowers. Plant it away from windows if the smell bothers you.

More plant watering guides

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Sources