WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Brachychiton acerifolius, WUCOLS IV

How often to water flame tree in California

In July on the north-central coast, established flame tree in loam needs a deep soak only about once a month or less: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy. Flame tree is an Australian tree with a stout trunk and large, glossy, lobed leaves, usually 30 to 40 feet tall in California. In late spring, often while bare of leaves, it covers itself in clusters of waxy, bell-shaped scarlet flowers, followed by woody pods. It is drought tolerant once established and blooms best in drier, milder winters.

TreeRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water flame 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 flame 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

  • Ground dry 2 feet below the surface beyond the canopy in a young flame tree's first summer means it needs a soak
  • Leaves wilting and dropping out of season in a hot spell can indicate drought stress on a young tree
  • Losing some or all leaves before spring bloom is normal, not a sign of thirst
  • Yellowing leaves over soggy, poorly drained soil suggest overwatering

How to water it

  • Water a young tree in a broad ring away from the trunk
  • While the tree is in leaf, soak occasionally to infrequently and let the soil dry well between
  • Plant in full sun in well-drained soil
  • Skip winter irrigation, since dry winters bring better bloom
  • Keep it away from lawns and other wet areas once established

Through the seasons

Water a young flame tree deeply through its first summers while roots establish. After that it is drought tolerant and needs only occasional to infrequent soaks while in leaf. It sheds all or part of its leaves before blooming in late spring, and dry, mild winters favor the best flowering. Young trees may not flower for several years. WUCOLS rates flame tree low water on the north-central coast and the south coast. South Inland carries a moderate water rating. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the Central Valley, the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Flame tree becomes too large for a container, but a young tree can grow in a deep pot for a year or two. Use a well-drained mix. Water when the top few inches are dry, only while the tree is in leaf, and let it drain fully. In summer heat, check every few days. Empty the saucer. Keep the pot drier in winter and protect young trees from frost. Turn the pot so it grows evenly.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
Not ratedWUCOLS does not rate Flame Tree for the Central Valley zone
A year
no figure
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses

WUCOLS lists Flame Tree as not suited to this region for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.

Monthly water need by climate zone

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

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.15–0.310.78––
Feb0.21–0.320.87––
Mar0.35–0.461.3––
Apr0.47–0.561.61––
May0.58–0.641.95––
Jun0.64–0.692.29––
Jul0.64–0.792.51––
Aug0.6–0.742.33––
Sep0.5–0.61.86––
Oct0.35–0.461.33––
Nov0.19–0.330.9––
Dec0.12–0.260.68––
Year4.8–6.218.41––

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 not suited to this region in the Central Valley, like flame tree. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Sugar MapleAcer saccharumnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingQueensland KauriAgathis robustanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingCherimoyaAnnona cherimolanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingPurple Orchid TreeBauhinia variegata (purpurea)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingToogBischofia javanicanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingClustered Fishtail PalmCaryota mitisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingWhite SapoteCasimiroa edulisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingFilbertCorylus maximanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingSpotted GumCorymbia maculata (Eucalyptus maculata)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingDove TreeDavidia involucratanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRoyal PoincianaDelonix regianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingTriangle PalmDypsis decaryinot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingMountain White GumEucalyptus dalrympleananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRainbow EucalyptusEucalyptus degluptanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingRoxburgh FigFicus auriculatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingIndian BanyanFicus benghalensisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes flame 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 flame tree in summer?

In July, established flame tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 27 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 flame tree need per day?

In July on the north-central coast, established flame tree needs about 1.6 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 6.5 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 flame tree change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates flame tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, not suited to this region in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water 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.

Why did my flame tree drop its leaves in spring?

It often loses some or all of its leaves just before it flowers. Red blooms then cover the bare branches. That is normal.

Why hasn't my flame tree bloomed?

Flame trees often take several years before their first bloom. Flowering is best after drier, milder winters and when the tree is not irrigated. Patience is usually the answer.

How big does flame tree get?

In California it usually reaches 30 to 40 feet tall with a spread about half its height. In Australia it grows taller. Give it room.

Is flame tree messy?

The flowers fall cleanly and carpet the ground in red. Woody seedpods follow. Rake them up near walkways.

How cold can flame tree get?

Young trees are tender, but older trees handle brief light frost. Protect young trees in cold spells. Plant it in a mild, sheltered spot.

More plant watering guides

Shaving Brush TreeCommon GuavaFlame VineNikau PalmCup-of-Gold VineAfrican Tulip TreeOrgan Pipe CactusMadagascar Jasmine

Sources