How often to water ivy leaf cyclamen in California
In July in the Central Valley, established ivy leaf cyclamen needs about 0.8 gallons a week for a plant 2 feet across. Ivy leaf cyclamen is a small tuberous perennial, only 4 to 6 inches tall. Its nodding pink or white flowers rise with the first fall rains. Ivy-shaped leaves marbled in silver follow and last through winter. In late spring the leaves die back and the tuber rests dry through summer, which suits California's rain pattern closely.
How often to water ivy leaf cyclamen, 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: the plant’s WUCOLS rating times your city’s climate for the month, over the area the plant covers. Skip a watering after a good soaking rain.
How to tell it needs water
- Soil dry an inch down among the leaves in fall or winter, during a long gap between rains, signals that ivy leaf cyclamen needs water
- Leaves going limp and dull in midwinter sun over dry soil can indicate thirst
- Leaves yellowing in late spring as weather warms are the normal start of summer rest, not a call for water
- A soft, rotting tuber or no fall regrowth after summer watering points to too much moisture during dormancy
How to water it
- Water only during fall and winter growth, and only in long dry spells
- Wet the top few inches around the leaves, then let the soil dry before the next soak
- Plant tubers about an inch deep in fast-draining soil, where roots come from the tuber's shoulders
- Keep it away from summer sprinklers, since the corms rot in wet soil while dormant
- Leave the planting undisturbed so it can self-seed and spread into a patch
Through the seasons
This cyclamen runs on a reverse calendar. Flowers rise in late summer or fall, leaves grow through winter, and the plant goes dormant before summer. Water only to bridge long dry gaps in the growing season, and keep the tuber dry while it rests. Winter rain covers most of its needs on the coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS rates ivy leaf cyclamen very low water on the north-central coast. It rates low water in the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Ivy leaf cyclamen grows well in a shallow pot of gritty mix in part shade. From fall into spring, while leaves are green, check the mix and water when the top inch is dry. Water until it drains and empty the saucer. When leaves yellow in late spring, stop watering and keep the pot dry and shaded through summer. Restart with a light soak when flower buds appear in late summer or early fall.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Ivy Leaf Cyclamen: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.04 | 0.16 | 0.31 | 0.31 | – | – |
| Feb | 0.05 | 0.26 | 0.32 | 0.35 | – | – |
| Mar | 0.09 | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.52 | – | – |
| Apr | 0.12 | 0.61 | 0.56 | 0.64 | – | – |
| May | 0.15 | 0.83 | 0.64 | 0.78 | – | – |
| Jun | 0.16 | 0.99 | 0.69 | 0.92 | – | – |
| Jul | 0.16 | 1.07 | 0.79 | 1 | – | – |
| Aug | 0.15 | 0.95 | 0.74 | 0.93 | – | – |
| Sep | 0.12 | 0.72 | 0.6 | 0.74 | – | – |
| Oct | 0.09 | 0.47 | 0.46 | 0.53 | – | – |
| Nov | 0.05 | 0.22 | 0.33 | 0.36 | – | – |
| Dec | 0.03 | 0.14 | 0.26 | 0.27 | – | – |
| Year | 1.2 | 6.84 | 6.2 | 7.37 | – | – |
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 ivy leaf cyclamen. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
Star of BethlehemOrnithogalum arabicumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Summer SnowflakeLeucojum aestivumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
White Rain LilyZephyranthes candidalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
HyacinthHyacinthus spp.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Sea SquillDrimia maritimalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
LavenderLavandula spp. & 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
SalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Greek Strawberry TreeArbutus andrachnelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Winter-Blooming BergeniaBergenia crassifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mexican FleabaneErigeron karvinskianuslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Winter JasmineJasminum nudiflorumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Valley OakQuercus lobatalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Coral FountainRusselia equisetiformislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
White SageSalvia apianalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes ivy leaf cyclamen, 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 should I water ivy leaf cyclamen in summer?
In July, established ivy leaf cyclamen needs about 0.8 gallons in the Central Valley, 0.6 gallons on the south coast and 0.7 gallons in the South Inland zone each week, for a plant 2 feet across. Water deeply and let the top of the soil dry before the next watering. Skip a watering after a soaking rain.
How much water does ivy leaf cyclamen need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established ivy leaf cyclamen needs about 0.1 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 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 ivy leaf cyclamen change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates ivy leaf cyclamen separately for each of the six California climate zones: very 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.
Why did my cyclamen disappear in summer?
It is summer dormant. The leaves die back in late spring and the tuber rests until fall. Mark the spot and do not water it while it sleeps.
When does ivy leaf cyclamen bloom?
Flower stalks rise in late summer and early fall, often with the first rains. Leaves follow and last through winter. Each flower stalk coils down to the ground as seed forms.
Can ivy leaf cyclamen grow under trees?
Yes, it does well in part shade and even tolerates dry shade. It suits the root zone of summer-dry trees and shrubs. Avoid spots under trees that get summer irrigation.
Is ivy leaf cyclamen poisonous?
Yes, it is toxic to people, cats, dogs and horses if eaten. Plant it where pets and children will not dig up the tubers. Mice and squirrels may still eat the corms.
How deep should I plant cyclamen tubers?
Plant them about an inch deep. Roots grow from the shoulders of the tuber, so keep that part under the soil. The corms do not tolerate poorly drained soil.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Cyclamen hederifolium, 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