How often to water chamomile sunray in California
In July in the Central Valley, established chamomile sunray in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 0.8 gallons a week. Chamomile sunray, also called curry plant, is a small, bushy evergreen subshrub with narrow, silvery gray leaves that smell of curry. Domed clusters of tiny yellow flowers open in summer. It comes from dry, rocky Mediterranean slopes and wants full sun, poor soil and fast drainage, with little summer water once established.
How often to water chamomile sunray, 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 foot 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
- Soil dry 3 to 4 inches down beside the plant in a first summer signals a young chamomile sunray needs water
- Silver leaves curling tight and the shoot tips drooping in heat can indicate a long dry spell
- Stems blackening at the base over damp soil point to overwatering or winter wet
- Floppy, open growth with fewer flowers can follow rich soil and too much water
How to water it
- Water around the base with drip or a slow hose, keeping the silver foliage dry
- Soak several inches down, then let the soil dry well before the next soak
- Plant in poor to moderately fertile, neutral to alkaline soil that drains fast
- Use gravel mulch rather than bark around the crown
- Keep it away from lawn sprinklers and other plants that need frequent water
Through the seasons
Water a new chamomile sunray regularly until it shows new growth, then taper to occasional deep soaks. Established plants rely mostly on rain and need little summer water. It is evergreen, and its main enemy is cold, wet soil in winter. Cut it back hard in fall to renew it. WUCOLS rates chamomile sunray low water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley and on the south coast. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for South Inland, and marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Chamomile sunray suits a terracotta pot of gritty mix on a sunny patio. Check the mix a couple of inches down and soak only when it has dried. In summer heat a small pot may dry within a few days. Let water run straight through and empty the saucer. Protect pots from winter wet by setting them under an eave. Trim after flowering to keep the shape compact.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Chamomile Sunray: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.31 | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.32 | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.35 | 0.43 | 0.46 | – | – | – |
| Apr | 0.47 | 0.61 | 0.56 | – | – | – |
| May | 0.58 | 0.83 | 0.64 | – | – | – |
| Jun | 0.64 | 0.99 | 0.69 | – | – | – |
| Jul | 0.64 | 1.07 | 0.79 | – | – | – |
| Aug | 0.6 | 0.95 | 0.74 | – | – | – |
| Sep | 0.5 | 0.72 | 0.6 | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.35 | 0.47 | 0.46 | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.19 | 0.22 | 0.33 | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.26 | – | – | – |
| Year | 4.8 | 6.84 | 6.2 | – | – | – |
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 chamomile sunray. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
GeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and 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
IrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria 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
YarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Silver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Purple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Silvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Fern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
California Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Woolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Perennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes chamomile sunray, 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 chamomile sunray in summer?
In July, established chamomile sunray in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days in the Central Valley and about every 18 days on the south coast. 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 chamomile sunray need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established chamomile sunray needs about 0.1 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.4 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 chamomile sunray change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates chamomile sunray 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, not evaluated 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.
Can I cook with chamomile sunray?
The leaves smell strongly of curry, but this is not the spice. It is grown mainly as an ornamental. Use it for fragrance in the garden.
When should I prune chamomile sunray?
A hard cutback in fall renews the plant. Light trimming after bloom also keeps it tidy. Pruning does not change its water needs.
Why is my chamomile sunray dying in winter?
Cold, wet soil is the usual cause. Improve drainage with a mound or gravel, and stop irrigation in the rainy season. Shelter it from cold, drying winds.
Does chamomile sunray do well near the coast?
Yes, coastal gardens suit it. It needs full sun and fast drainage there too. Fog slows drying, so check the soil before watering.
How do I propagate chamomile sunray?
Take semi-hardwood cuttings in summer. Root them in gritty mix and keep them lightly moist. Plant out once they show new growth.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Helichrysum italicum, 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