How often to water common witch hazel in California
In July in the Central Valley, established common witch hazel in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 7.6 gallons a week. Common witch hazel is a deciduous shrub or small tree from woodland edges and stream banks of eastern North America. In fall its leaves turn golden yellow, and fragrant yellow flowers with crinkled, strap-like petals open along the branches from about October into December. It needs moist, acidic, humus-rich soil and does not tolerate drought.
How often to water common witch hazel, 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 1.5 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.
How to tell it needs water
- Leaves wilting or scorching at the edges in a dry spell show stress, since this shrub does not tolerate drought
- Soil dry 2 inches down under the branches in summer means it is time for a deep watering
- Yellowing leaves and dieback in soil that stays waterlogged can point to Phytophthora root rot
- Few flowers on a shrub in deep shade reflect too little sun, since bloom is best in full sun
- Small bumps or galls on the leaves come from tiny insects and do not harm the plant
How to water it
- Water at the base with a soaker or drip, wetting the soil about a foot deep
- Keep the soil moist through summer, watering again before the top couple of inches dry out
- Plant in full sun or part shade in acidic, humus-rich soil that drains well, sheltered from cold drying winds
- Spread mulch over the root zone to conserve moisture
- Widen the watered area as the shrub spreads
Through the seasons
Keep a young shrub evenly moist through its first summers. It leafs out in spring, needs steady moisture through the dry season, and turns golden yellow in fall. Flowers open from about October into December, sometimes while seed capsules from the year before are still on the branches. Prune, if needed, in early spring. Winter rain usually covers the bare shrub on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS rates common witch hazel moderate water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the south coast, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
A young witch hazel can live in a large container for a few years before it goes in the ground. Use an acidic, humus-rich mix that holds moisture yet drains, in a pot with drainage holes. In summer, check the mix every day or two and water before the top inch dries out. Let water drain through, then empty the saucer. Keep the pot in part shade during hot spells, and water lightly in winter.
- A year
- 17.11 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Common Witch Hazel: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.37 | 0.4 | – | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | 0.65 | – | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | 1.09 | – | – | – | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | 1.52 | – | – | – | – |
| May | 1.46 | 2.08 | – | – | – | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | 2.48 | – | – | – | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | 2.67 | – | – | – | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | 2.39 | – | – | – | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | 1.8 | – | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | 1.18 | – | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | 0.56 | – | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | 0.34 | – | – | – | – |
| Year | 12 | 17.11 | – | – | – | – |
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 common witch hazel. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
AzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
CamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
GardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
HibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Sago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Star JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
ArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
BambooBambusa spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
LilacsSyringa hybrids (including Descanso hybrids)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
SpireaSpiraea spp. (CA native and non native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Butterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
SageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Red BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July
Western ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySimilar plants that need less water 16
Rated lower than common witch hazel 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 July
RosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
BougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Olive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
LantanaLantana camara ssp. & 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
AloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
JunipersJuniperus 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
SagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Wild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
CoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Sydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Blue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes common witch hazel, 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 common witch hazel need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established common witch hazel needs about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 4.3 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 common witch hazel change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates common witch hazel separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, not suited to this region in the South Coastal zone, not suited to this region 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.
When does common witch hazel bloom?
It flowers in fall, from about October into December, often as the leaves turn yellow and drop. The fragrant yellow flowers have four crinkled, ribbon-like petals.
Can witch hazel handle drought?
No. It is intolerant of drought and needs moist soil through summer. Mulch and deep, regular watering help it through dry spells.
Is this the witch hazel used in skin products?
Yes. Common witch hazel is the species used to make medicinal witch hazel extract.
When should I prune common witch hazel?
Pruning is rarely needed except to shape it. If you prune, do it in early spring, and remember that flowers come on older growth.
Can you overwater common witch hazel?
Yes. It wants moist but well-drained soil, and waterlogged ground can lead to Phytophthora root rot. Water deeply, then let the top inch or two dry.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Hamamelis virginiana, 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