WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Arbutus andrachne, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Greek strawberry tree in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Greek strawberry tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 19 gallons a week. Greek strawberry tree is a slow-growing evergreen from the eastern Mediterranean, usually a short-trunked tree or large shrub. It has leathery leaves and colorful, peeling bark. Clusters of cream, urn-shaped flowers in spring ripen into red-orange fruits. It suits dry summers, wants good drainage, and needs little water once established.

TreeUC Arboretum All-StarRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water Greek strawberry 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 Greek strawberry 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

  • A young strawberry tree needs a deep soak in its first summers whenever the soil at the root ball edge is dry 6 inches down
  • Heavy leaf drop during a long dry spell can show an established tree is short of water
  • Honey-colored mushrooms at the base or a thinning crown over soil kept wet warn of root rot
  • Dark spots on the leaves point to arbutus leaf spot rather than thirst
  • Bark peeling off in thin sheets is normal and shows the colorful new bark beneath

How to water it

  • Water a young tree slowly over its root ball and the soil just beyond it, keeping the trunk dry
  • Soak deeply, let the soil dry well before the next soak, and taper off once the tree is established
  • Plant in deep, well-drained soil in sun or part shade, sheltered from strong wind
  • Water at the soil rather than over the leaves to discourage leaf spot
  • Keep lawn sprinklers and thirsty plantings away from the trunk area

Through the seasons

A newly planted Greek strawberry tree needs deep soakings through its first two or three summers while its roots spread. After that it needs little summer water and resents soil that stays wet. It stays evergreen, flowers in spring, and its fruit ripens to red-orange. Rain usually covers the cool months on the coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS rates it low water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley, and also on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Greek strawberry tree grows slowly enough to live in a large container for several years. Use a fast-draining mix and check it 2 to 3 inches down every few days in summer, watering when it is dry. Let the excess drain out and empty the saucer, since wet roots invite rot. In winter, water only when the mix has dried well down. A potted young tree makes a handsome patio shrub before it goes in the ground.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
1.07gal per sq ft in JulyLow water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
6.84 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.270.540.801.10.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.270.540.801.10.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

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

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.160.310.31––
Feb0.210.260.320.35––
Mar0.350.430.460.52––
Apr0.470.610.560.64––
May0.580.830.640.78––
Jun0.640.990.690.92––
Jul0.641.070.791––
Aug0.60.950.740.93––
Sep0.50.720.60.74––
Oct0.350.470.460.53––
Nov0.190.220.330.36––
Dec0.120.140.260.27––
Year4.86.846.27.37––

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 low water in the Central Valley, like Greek strawberry tree. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

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 Greek strawberry 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 Greek strawberry tree in summer?

In July, established Greek strawberry tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley, about every 27 days on the south coast and about every 22 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 Greek strawberry tree need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Greek strawberry tree needs about 2.7 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 11 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 Greek strawberry tree change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Greek strawberry tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water in the South Inland zone, not evaluated 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.

Are Greek strawberry tree fruits edible?

Yes, the red-orange fruits are edible and are made into jams and liqueurs in some countries. Most gardeners grow the tree for its looks. Expect some fruit drop under the canopy.

Why is my strawberry tree's bark peeling?

Peeling bark is one of its best features, revealing colorful, smooth bark underneath. It is normal and not a sign of drought or disease.

How big does Greek strawberry tree get?

It grows slowly to about 20 to 30 feet tall and wide, often as a short-trunked, multi-stemmed tree. Give it room to spread over the years.

What causes spots on strawberry tree leaves?

Arbutus leaf spot is a common fungal problem. Water at the soil rather than over the foliage, and rake up fallen spotted leaves. The spots do not mean the tree needs more water.

Does Greek strawberry tree need acidic soil?

It adapts to many soils but does best in acidic ones with good drainage. In alkaline soil, focus on drainage and avoid overwatering.

More plant watering guides

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Sources