WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Rosa californica, WUCOLS IV

How often to water California wild rose in California

In July in the Central Valley, established California wild rose 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 wild rose is a deciduous native shrub of streamsides, shady canyons and moist spots from Oregon to Baja California. It suckers into prickly thickets 3 to 10 feet tall. Fragrant, single pink flowers open in spring and summer, followed by bright red hips. It tolerates some drought but likes moisture, and grown dry it may drop leaves in summer.

ShrubCalifornia nativeRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water California wild rose, 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 wild rose 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

  • California wild rose dropping leaves in midsummer while the soil is dry several inches down shows it has run short of water
  • Wilting new canes in afternoon heat mean the roots need a deep soak
  • Suckers spreading fast into nearby beds show it has plenty of moisture
  • Fewer flowers in deep shade point to too little sun, not too little water

How to water it

  • Water deeply around the clump when the soil dries several inches down
  • Plant in sun near the coast and in part shade inland
  • Give more water in full sun, where it blooms best
  • Use a root barrier if you need to stop it spreading
  • Cut the clump to the ground in late summer or fall to renew it

Through the seasons

Water a new plant regularly through its first summer so it can spread. Established clumps tolerate some drought but stay leafier and bloom more with occasional deep soaks. It drops its leaves in winter, when rain covers its needs on the coast and in the Central Valley. Flowers open from spring into summer, with hips into fall. WUCOLS rates California wild rose low water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

California wild rose spreads by suckers and suits the ground better than a pot. A young plant can grow in a large container for a season or two. Use a well-drained mix with compost. Water when the top couple of inches dry, until it drains out. In summer, check every couple of days. Empty the saucer. While it is bare in winter, water only when the mix dries.

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
0.270.540.801.10.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.270.540.801.10.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

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

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.310.31––
Feb0.210.260.320.35––
Mar0.350.430.460.52––
Apr0.470.610.560.64––
May0.580.830.640.78––
Jun0.640.990.690.92––
Jul0.641.070.791––
Aug0.60.950.740.93––
Sep0.50.720.60.74––
Oct0.350.470.460.53––
Nov0.190.220.330.36––
Dec0.120.140.260.27––
Year4.86.846.27.37––

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 wild rose. 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 wild rose, 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 wild rose in summer?

In July, established California wild rose in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley, about every 27 days on the south coast and about every 22 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 wild rose need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established California wild rose 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 wild rose change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates California wild rose separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low 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.

Does California wild rose get mildew?

It seems immune to the mildew and rust that plague garden roses. That makes it easy to grow with little care. Good air flow still helps.

Does California wild rose spread?

Yes, it suckers from the roots and forms thickets. Use a root barrier to keep it in a set space. Thickets make a dense barrier hedge.

Are California wild rose hips edible?

The hips are edible and make a good tea. They ripen bright red after the flowers. The plant is very important for wildlife.

Can California wild rose grow in shade?

It grows in sun or shade. Inland it does best in part shade, while near the coast sun is preferred. In dry shade it needs little extra water.

How do I renew an old California wild rose?

Cut the whole clump to the ground in late summer or fall. Fresh canes come back from the roots. Water after the cut to help regrowth.

More plant watering guides

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Sources