WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Celtis australis, WUCOLS IV

How often to water European hackberry in California

In July in the Central Valley, established European hackberry 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. European hackberry is a fast growing deciduous shade tree from the Mediterranean. It reaches 40 to 60 feet, with a broad, rounded crown, smooth gray bark and toothed leaves that turn pale yellow in fall. It thrives in full sun and hot summers on most soils that drain, and it prefers deep, unhurried watering over frequent sprinkling.

TreeRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water European hackberry, 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 European hackberry 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

  • Ground dry half a foot down at the drip line of an established hackberry means the next deep soak is due
  • Leaves yellowing and falling early in midsummer can follow a long dry stretch, so dig down and look before watering
  • Sticky leaves, black sooty mold and white waxy fluff point to hackberry woolly aphids, not thirst
  • Leaves yellowing while the soil stays soggy point to poor drainage, which this tree dislikes
  • Pale yellow leaves in autumn are its normal fall color ahead of leaf drop

How to water it

  • Soak a newly planted hackberry over the root ball first, then over a ring of native soil that widens each year
  • Once the tree is established, move the water out to the drip line and beyond, keeping the trunk dry
  • Let water run slowly until it has sunk 18 inches or more, and allow the soil to dry out well between soaks
  • Choose a sunny site with well-drained soil, away from low ground that holds winter water
  • Cover the root area with coarse wood chips, pulled back a hand's width from the bark

Through the seasons

A young European hackberry needs deep watering through its first few dry seasons while roots reach into native soil. After that, soak it deeply and let the ground dry out well before the next round. WUCOLS rates European hackberry low water on the north-central coast. It rates moderate water in the Central Valley, the high desert and the low desert. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the south coast or South Inland. New leaves appear in spring and turn pale yellow before falling in autumn. In the leafless months the tree needs little water, and rain usually supplies it on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. Desert trees can use a soak in a long, dry winter.

In pots

European hackberry is a large, fast tree, and a pot holds it only briefly before planting. A deep nursery can or tub with open holes works for that short stay. In summer heat, push a finger 2 inches into the mix and water once that depth feels dry. Run water through until it flows from the holes, and do not leave the container standing in drained water. After the leaves fall, give only enough water to keep the mix from drying out completely. Move it into the ground before roots start circling.

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

European Hackberry: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.4––0.740.78
Feb0.210.65––0.930.93
Mar0.351.09––1.461.52
Apr0.471.52––1.891.95
May0.582.08––2.392.45
Jun0.642.48––2.852.79
Jul0.642.67––3.042.85
Aug0.62.39––2.792.6
Sep0.51.8––2.142.08
Oct0.351.18––1.461.49
Nov0.190.56––0.930.96
Dec0.120.34––0.650.68
Year4.817.11––21.2721.08

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 European hackberry. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Citrus TreesCitrus spp.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 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 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 JulyAmur MapleAcer ginnalamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernleaf MapleAcer japonicummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBox ElderAcer negundomoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyNorway MapleAcer platanoidesmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed MapleAcer rubrummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyChinese MapleAcer truncatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed HorsechestnutAesculus x carneamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

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

Olive 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 JulyAloeAloe 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 JulyTexas Red OakQuercus buckleyilow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPortuguese OakQuercus faginealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySoapbark TreeQuillaja saponarialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyNecklace TreeSophora affinislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBailey AcaciaAcacia baileyanalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver WattleAcacia dealbatalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGreen WattleAcacia decurrenslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow 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 European hackberry, 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 European hackberry need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established European hackberry 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 European hackberry change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates European hackberry separately for each of the six California climate zones: low 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, 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 is my hackberry dripping sticky sap?

The stickiness is usually honeydew from hackberry woolly aphids feeding on the leaves, often worst in late summer. Black sooty mold grows on it. The aphids are not considered a threat to the tree's survival, and more water will not stop them.

How big does European hackberry get?

It grows fast to 40 to 60 feet tall and about as wide, with a rounded crown. Plant it where it has room to spread in full sun. Widen the watered area as the canopy grows.

Are European hackberry fruits messy?

Small purple-black fruits, less than half an inch wide, hang in clusters after the inconspicuous spring flowers. Expect some fruit drop beneath the canopy. Keep the tree back from patios if that is a concern.

Can you overwater European hackberry?

Yes. It needs well-drained soil, and roots kept wet decline. Water deeply, then let the soil dry well before the next soak. Keep it out of lawns that are watered often.

Does European hackberry like heat?

Yes. It grows best in full sun and does well with hot summers. Deep soakings through the hottest months keep it in good leaf in the valley and the deserts.

More plant watering guides

Star MagnoliaPeonyFir TreesTrident MapleHedge MapleTatar MapleOriental ArborvitaeKorean Mint

Sources