WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Handroanthus chrysotrichus (Tabebuia chrysotricha), WUCOLS IV

How often to water golden trumpet tree in California

In July on the south coast, established golden trumpet tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 11 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 35 gallons a week. Golden trumpet tree is a round-headed, semi-deciduous tree from the southeastern coast of Brazil, 15 to 25 feet tall. Its olive-green leaves are divided like fingers and covered in golden fuzz underneath. In mid-spring, while the tree is bare or just leafing out, it bursts into clusters of golden yellow trumpets 3 to 4 inches long.

TreeRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water golden trumpet 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 golden trumpet 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

  • Dry ground half a foot down beneath the crown during a warm spell means golden trumpet tree is due a long soak
  • New leaves hanging limp on a hot afternoon can point to a dry root zone
  • Going bare in late winter just before the flowers is its normal rhythm
  • Pale, droopy leaves where water stands after irrigation point to soggy roots

How to water it

  • Give slow, deep watering in the warm months, then wait for the top layer to dry
  • Hold back on routine summer water, since it flowers best without heavy irrigation
  • Site it in full sun where water drains away quickly
  • Pick a sheltered, warm corner, since cold below the mid 20s F hurts it
  • Allow space for a rounded crown up to about 20 feet across

Through the seasons

Give a young tree steady summer water for its first few years. Once settled, it looks best with occasional to regular warm-season water, yet it often blooms most freely without regular irrigation. It drops most leaves before its mid-spring flowers, then refoliates. The south coast, South Inland and the low desert give golden trumpet tree a moderate water rating in WUCOLS. The north-central coast, the Central Valley and the high desert are zones WUCOLS marks it as not suited to.

In pots

While young, golden trumpet tree can live in a big tub on a warm, sunny terrace. Fill it with a mix that drains fast. Soak the pot once the upper two inches feel dry, letting the excess escape. During hot weather, look at it twice a week or so. Keep water from collecting beneath it. Wheel it under cover when frost is forecast. In late winter, while it stands bare, add water only after the mix dries out.

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

WUCOLS lists Golden Trumpet 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

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

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan––0.780.78–0.78
Feb––0.810.87–0.93
Mar––1.151.3–1.52
Apr––1.41.61–1.95
May––1.611.95–2.45
Jun––1.742.29–2.79
Jul––1.982.51–2.85
Aug––1.862.33–2.6
Sep––1.491.86–2.08
Oct––1.151.33–1.49
Nov––0.840.9–0.96
Dec––0.650.68–0.68
Year––15.518.41–21.08

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 not suited to this region in the Central Valley, like golden trumpet 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 golden trumpet 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 golden trumpet tree in summer?

In July, established golden trumpet tree in loam needs a deep watering 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 golden trumpet tree need per day?

In July on the south coast, established golden trumpet tree needs about 5.0 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 20 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 golden trumpet tree change across California?

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

When does golden trumpet tree bloom?

It blooms in mid-spring while the tree is leafless or just leafing out. The golden trumpets are 3 to 4 inches long. It is a spectacular sight.

Why doesn't my golden trumpet tree flower much?

Heavy, regular irrigation can reduce bloom. Water deeply but less often once established. Full sun helps.

How cold hardy is golden trumpet tree?

It tolerates temperatures into the mid 20s F. Frost can damage young trees. Plant it in a warm spot.

How big does golden trumpet tree get?

It reaches roughly 15 to 25 feet with a rounded head. Its spread is somewhat less than its height. It suits medium yards.

Why are the leaves fuzzy underneath?

Golden hairs cover the leaf undersides and flower cups. The botanical name means golden haired. It is normal.

More plant watering guides

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Sources