WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Euphorbia candelabrum, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Euphorbia candelabrum in California

In July on the north-central coast, established Euphorbia candelabrum needs about 0.5 gallons a week for a plant 2 feet across. Euphorbia candelabrum, one of the plants called candelabra tree, is a tree-sized succulent euphorbia whose branches rise like the arms of a candelabrum. Like all euphorbias, it bleeds a milky white sap when cut, which burns skin and eyes and harms anyone who swallows it. It needs sharp drainage, since soggy soil is the main threat to succulent euphorbias.

SucculentRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water Euphorbia candelabrum, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 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 Euphorbia candelabrum and the rest of your yard, on the days your water supplier allows.Get the plan for $19

How this is worked out: the plant’s WUCOLS rating times your city’s climate for the month, over the area the plant covers. 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 well below the surface for weeks in a hot summer means candelabra tree can take a deep soak
  • Stems looking shriveled or creased in a long dry spell suggest it has used its stored water
  • Stems turning soft or dark at the base point to rot from wet soil
  • A plump, firm plant needs no water, even in summer

How to water it

  • Water deeply and rarely, only after the soil has dried completely
  • Plant in full sun in fast-draining soil
  • Avoid planting where sprinklers or lawn water reach it
  • Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection when cutting it
  • Keep it away from paths where children brush against it

Through the seasons

Water a new plant lightly until its roots grow out into the surrounding soil, then cut back. Established plants store water in their stems and need only occasional deep soaks in long, hot dry spells. Keep winter water to a bare minimum, since cold, wet soil rots succulent roots. WUCOLS rates Euphorbia candelabrum low water on the north-central coast, in South Inland and in the low desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the Central Valley, the south coast or the high desert.

In pots

A young candelabra tree grows well in a heavy, wide pot of fast-draining cactus mix. Water only when the mix is dry most of the way down, then let it drain fully. In summer, that may mean every week or two in heat. Never leave water in the saucer. Choose a pot heavy enough to keep a top-heavy plant upright. In winter, water very little or not at all.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
Not ratedWUCOLS does not rate Euphorbia candelabrum for the Central Valley zone
A year
no figure
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses

WUCOLS lists Euphorbia candelabrum as not evaluated for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Euphorbia candelabrum: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.15––0.31–0.31
Feb0.21––0.35–0.37
Mar0.35––0.52–0.61
Apr0.47––0.64–0.78
May0.58––0.78–0.98
Jun0.64––0.92–1.12
Jul0.64––1–1.14
Aug0.6––0.93–1.04
Sep0.5––0.74–0.83
Oct0.35––0.53–0.6
Nov0.19––0.36–0.38
Dec0.12––0.27–0.27
Year4.8––7.37–8.43

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 13

Rated not evaluated in the Central Valley, like Euphorbia candelabrum. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Purple SpurgeEuphorbia dulcisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingGiant White YuccaYucca faxoniananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingCandelillaEuphorbia antisyphiliticanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingMoroccan MoundEuphorbia resiniferanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingSeguier's SpurgeEuphorbia seguieriana niciciananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingBanana YuccaYucca baccatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingSoaptree YuccaYucca elatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingMojave YuccaYucca schidigera (Yucca californica, Yucca mohavensis)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingSpanish BayonetYucca aloifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingSoapweed YuccaYucca glaucanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingMountain YuccaYucca schottiinot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingAfrican Milk TreeEuphorbia trigonanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingThanksgiving CactusSchlumbergera (Zygocactus) truncata (truncates)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Euphorbia candelabrum, 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 much water does Euphorbia candelabrum need per day?

In July on the north-central coast, established Euphorbia candelabrum needs about 0.1 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.3 gallons a day for a plant 4 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 Euphorbia candelabrum change across California?

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

Is candelabra tree sap dangerous?

Yes, the milky sap irritates skin, is toxic if eaten and is especially painful in the eyes. Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection. Wash up right after pruning.

Is candelabra tree a cactus?

No, it is a succulent euphorbia that looks like a cactus. The milky sap is one way to tell them apart. Cacti do not bleed white sap.

How do I know when to water candelabra tree?

Water when the soil is dry deep down and the stems look less plump. Firm stems need no water. When in doubt, wait.

Do deer bother candelabra tree?

Euphorbia sap tends to keep deer and gophers away. That makes it useful in exposed gardens. Gophers also leave the roots alone.

Why is my candelabra tree rotting?

Rot follows wet soil, especially in cool weather. Improve drainage and water less. Remove soft parts with gloves on.

More plant watering guides

Silky-Leaved BrambleSoapberryMexican SavoryBlood LilyNarihira BambooCrown of Gold TreeSilver BuffaloberryBrazilian Nightshade

Sources