How often to water Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in California
In July in the Central Valley, established Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose 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. Flower Carpet Appleblossom is a low, spreading shrub rose with semi-double flowers that open pink and pale toward white. Plants grow 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, and their bushy habit works as a groundcover. They bloom freely from spring to fall without deadheading, and their glossy green leaves stay attractive through the season.
How often to water Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose, 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
- Soil dry 3 inches down under the mat of canes in summer means Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose needs water
- Flowering slowing in a hot, dry spell can follow a dry root zone
- Leaves drooping in afternoon heat can indicate thirst
- Rust, mildew or black spot on leaves wet from sprinklers points to overhead watering, not thirst
How to water it
- Water at the base with drip, never overhead, to keep leaves dry
- Let the top couple of inches dry before the next deep watering
- Plant in full sun in fertile, moist, well-drained, slightly acid soil
- Mulch to hold moisture
- Cut back in late winter for a shorter, bushier plant if you like
Through the seasons
Water new plants regularly through the first summer. Established plants want moderate, steady water at the root zone and mulch to keep it moist, since they bloom nonstop from spring to fall. Avoid overhead watering, which invites leaf disease. WUCOLS rates Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast, in South Inland and in the high desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the low desert.
In pots
Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose works well in containers and hanging over the rim of a raised planter. Use a fertile, well-drained mix. Water when the top inch or two is dry, until it drains through. In summer heat, check pots every day or two. Water the mix, not the leaves, to avoid leaf disease. Empty the saucer. In winter, water only when the mix dries.
- A year
- 17.11 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Flower Carpet Appleblossom Rose: 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 | 0.78 | 0.78 | 0.74 | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | 0.65 | 0.81 | 0.87 | 0.93 | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | 1.09 | 1.15 | 1.3 | 1.46 | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | 1.52 | 1.4 | 1.61 | 1.89 | – |
| May | 1.46 | 2.08 | 1.61 | 1.95 | 2.39 | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | 2.48 | 1.74 | 2.29 | 2.85 | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | 2.67 | 1.98 | 2.51 | 3.04 | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | 2.39 | 1.86 | 2.33 | 2.79 | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | 1.8 | 1.49 | 1.86 | 2.14 | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | 1.18 | 1.15 | 1.33 | 1.46 | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | 0.56 | 0.84 | 0.9 | 0.93 | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | 0.34 | 0.65 | 0.68 | 0.65 | – |
| Year | 12 | 17.11 | 15.5 | 18.41 | 21.27 | – |
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 Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose. 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 Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose 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 Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose, 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 Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose in summer?
In July, established Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose 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 Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose 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 Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose 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, not evaluated in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.
Does Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose need deadheading?
No, it blooms continuously from spring to fall without deadheading. Steady water supports bloom. Mulch helps.
Can Flower Carpet Appleblossom rose be a groundcover?
Yes, its low, bushy, spreading habit makes a good groundcover. Plant it in masses. Water with drip under the canes.
Does it need full sun?
It prefers full sun and tolerates some shade with fewer blooms. Shade dries the soil more slowly. Water less there.
What diseases affect Flower Carpet roses?
They have good disease resistance, but rust, powdery mildew and black spot can appear. Avoid overhead watering. Remove damaged canes.
Do deer eat Flower Carpet roses?
Deer and rabbits will browse the plants. Protect them where animals visit. Fencing helps.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Rosa x 'Noamel', 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