WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Photinia serratifolia (P. serrulata), WUCOLS IV

How often to water Chinese photinia in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Chinese photinia in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 47 gallons a week. Chinese photinia is the largest photinia, a broad evergreen shrub that can grow into a tree about 35 feet tall. Glossy toothed leaves open red, large red buds sit on it through winter, and wide white flower clusters follow in spring. Established plants tolerate some drought, but wet soil and wet leaves cause trouble.

ShrubTreeRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water Chinese photinia, month by month

Your city
Canopy width
10 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 Chinese photinia 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 under the branches, 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 canopy width

A tree with its canopy width marked across the widest branches and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the branches, from the tips of the outer leaves on one side to the tips on the other. A tape works, or pace it out.

Water the whole circle under the branches, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that circle.

A wider canopy means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While the tree is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Soil dry 4 inches down near the drip line of a Chinese photinia means it is ready for a slow, deep soak
  • Leaves that droop through a summer heat wave, with dry soil below, show the roots need water
  • Wilting and yellowing over soil that stays soggy can mean Phytophthora root rot, a known problem for this shrub
  • Red new leaves at the branch tips are normal growth on this photinia, not a stress sign
  • White powdery patches on the leaves are powdery mildew, so look at air flow before changing the water

How to water it

  • Run drip emitters or a soaker hose under the canopy so water lands on soil, never on the leaves
  • Wet the root zone of a large plant to about 2 feet deep, then let the upper soil dry well before the next soak
  • Choose ground that drains freely, and raise the planting area in heavy clay so water cannot pool at the trunk
  • Mulch the root zone with wood chips, pulled a few inches back from the trunk
  • Extend the watered area toward the drip line as the shrub grows into a broad tree

Through the seasons

Water a new Chinese photinia deeply through its first summer while roots spread into the native soil. Established plants tolerate some drought but are not drought proof, so summer soaks still matter. It stays evergreen, carries red buds through winter and blooms in spring. Late frosts can nip young shoots, which is cold damage rather than thirst. Winter rain covers the cool months on the coast and in the Central Valley. Desert winters are dry, so keep checking the soil there between rains. WUCOLS rates Chinese photinia moderate water in all six climate zones, from the north-central coast to the low desert.

In pots

Chinese photinia grows too large for a container in the long run, so treat a pot as a nursery stage. It moves to the ground easily later. Choose a deep pot with drainage holes and a coarse mix, since soggy roots invite root rot. In summer, check the mix 2 inches down every few days, and daily in valley or desert heat. Water slowly at the soil until it flows from the holes, then tip out the saucer. Late frost can damage young shoots, so shelter a potted plant on cold spring nights.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Chinese Photinia: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.780.740.78
Feb0.530.650.810.870.930.93
Mar0.871.091.151.31.461.52
Apr1.181.521.41.611.891.95
May1.462.081.611.952.392.45
Jun1.612.481.742.292.852.79
Jul1.612.671.982.513.042.85
Aug1.492.391.862.332.792.6
Sep1.241.81.491.862.142.08
Oct0.871.181.151.331.461.49
Nov0.470.560.840.90.930.96
Dec0.310.340.650.680.650.68
Year1217.1115.518.4121.2721.08

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 moderate water in the Central Valley, like Chinese photinia. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCitrus TreesCitrus spp.moderate 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 JulyJapanese MapleAcer palmatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAvocado TreesPersea americanamoderate 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 JulyMagnolia TreesMagnolia grandiflora ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPalm TreesSyagrus romanzoffiana (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)moderate 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 JulyApple TreesMalus spp. (edible) e.g, 'Anna' (low chill variety for low desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPeach TreesPrunus spp. ediblemoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPersimmon TreesDiospyros kakimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Chinese photinia in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

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 JulyFig TreesFicus carica 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 JulyPomegranate TreesPunica granatumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyEucalyptusEucalyptus polyanthemoslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPine TreesPinus canariensislow 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 July
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Chinese photinia, 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 Chinese photinia in summer?

In July, established Chinese photinia in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 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 Chinese photinia need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Chinese photinia needs about 6.8 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 27 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.

Does watering for Chinese photinia change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Chinese photinia separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why are my Chinese photinia leaves red?

New leaves open red and turn glossy dark green as they age. Large red buds also emerge from the foliage and add color through winter. Neither is a sign of stress or thirst.

Why do Chinese photinia flowers smell bad?

Many people find the scent of the big spring flower clusters unpleasant. It is the heaviest blooming photinia, so the smell can carry. Keep it back from patios and open windows.

Is Chinese photinia invasive?

It has been known to escape gardens and naturalize, mostly in the southern United States. Watch for seedlings near the plant and pull them while they are small. That keeps it to the spot you chose.

Are Chinese photinia berries poisonous?

The red fruits are ornamental and should not be eaten. The plant is also listed as a problem for pets and horses. Clear fallen fruit where animals play or graze.

When should I prune Chinese photinia?

Prune in winter, thinning branches to let air move through the crown. Better air flow helps keep powdery mildew down. Its size makes it a poor fit for small gardens, so plan room rather than heavy cutting.

Does Chinese photinia get leaf spot?

It is the most disease resistant photinia and is notably resistant to Entomosporium leaf spot. In warm climates the disease can still appear. Keep sprinkler spray off the leaves to limit it.

More plant watering guides

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Sources