WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Erythrina crista-galli, WUCOLS IV

How often to water cockspur coral tree in California

In July in the Central Valley, established cockspur coral tree 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. Cockspur coral tree is a fast-growing small tree from South America, 15 to 20 feet tall and wide, with spiny branches. Its leaves of three leaflets carry curved thorns. From spring into summer it bears loose sprays of large scarlet to pink flowers, followed by long, bean-like pods. It is one of the hardiest coral trees, and it wants full sun.

ShrubTreeRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water cockspur coral tree, 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 cockspur coral tree 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 several inches down under the canopy in a long summer dry spell means a deep soak is due
  • Seedlings and rooted stem pieces sprouting in damp spots show the tree spreading, which moist soil encourages
  • Branches dying back after a freeze below about 20 degrees F reflect cold damage, not thirst
  • Nectar dripping from the flowers is normal for this tree, not a sign of stress or pests
  • Fewer flower flushes when old spikes are left on reflect missed pruning rather than a water problem

How to water it

  • Water deeply, wetting the soil about 18 inches down, then let it dry well before the next soak
  • Plant in full sun in almost any soil, including spots that flood now and then
  • Prune at least once a year to remove spent flower spikes, encourage repeat bloom and control size
  • Wear gloves when pruning, since the leaves and stems carry curved thorns
  • Pull seedlings and keep the watered area tight, since it can turn weedy in moist soil

Through the seasons

Water a young tree regularly through its first summer while roots spread. It flowers from spring into summer on new growth, in several flushes when spent spikes are cut off. It is deciduous or semi-evergreen, and frost near 20 degrees F can damage it, though its roots hold on to about 14 degrees F. WUCOLS rates cockspur coral tree moderate water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. It rates low water on the south coast and in South Inland. In the low desert it rates moderate water. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert.

In pots

A young cockspur coral tree can grow in a large container in full sun for a few years. Choose a heavy pot with drainage holes and a well-drained mix. During summer heat, poke a finger 2 inches into the mix every few days and water once it is dry there. Let water drain through, then empty the saucer. Cut off spent flower spikes to bring more bloom, and shelter the pot from hard frost in winter.

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
0.711.42.12.90.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.711.42.12.90.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Cockspur Coral Tree: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.310.31–0.78
Feb0.530.650.320.35–0.93
Mar0.871.090.460.52–1.52
Apr1.181.520.560.64–1.95
May1.462.080.640.78–2.45
Jun1.612.480.690.92–2.79
Jul1.612.670.791–2.85
Aug1.492.390.740.93–2.6
Sep1.241.80.60.74–2.08
Oct0.871.180.460.53–1.49
Nov0.470.560.330.36–0.96
Dec0.310.340.260.27–0.68
Year1217.116.27.37–21.08

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 cockspur coral tree. 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 cockspur coral tree 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 cockspur coral tree, 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 cockspur coral tree in summer?

In July, established cockspur coral tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 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 cockspur coral tree need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established cockspur coral tree 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 cockspur coral tree change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates cockspur coral tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate 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, 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 is my coral tree dripping?

The flowers produce large amounts of nectar that can drip, which is why it is sometimes called the cry baby tree. It is normal and not a sign of pests or disease.

How should I prune cockspur coral tree?

Prune at least once a year to remove the past year's spent flower spikes. That encourages repeat flowering and keeps the tree in scale. Wear gloves for the thorns.

How cold hardy is cockspur coral tree?

Once established it takes about 20 degrees F without significant dieback, and the roots survive to about 14 degrees F. Few coral trees are this cold tolerant.

Is cockspur coral tree invasive?

It self-sows and spreads by stem segments, and it can become weedy or invasive in moist soils. Pull seedlings and avoid planting it beside streams or wet wildlands.

Does cockspur coral tree have thorns?

Yes. Curved thorns grow along the leaf veins and stalks, and the branches are spiny. Plant it away from paths and play areas.

More plant watering guides

Burr OakChinquapin OakPin OakEnglish OakRed OakShumard Red OakChinese Cork OakSouthern Live Oak

Sources