WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Jacaranda mimosifolia ssp. & cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water jacaranda in California

In July in the Central Valley, established jacaranda 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. Jacaranda is a deciduous to semi-evergreen South American tree with ferny leaves. Masses of lavender-blue trumpet flowers cover it in late spring and early summer. It is a favorite street tree across Southern California. It wants full sun, soil that drains well and occasional deep summer soakings rather than frequent light watering.

TreeRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water jacaranda, 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 jacaranda 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 jacaranda needs a deep soak once the soil 4 to 6 inches down at its root ball edge has dried
  • Leaflets yellowing and dropping in midsummer heat, with dry soil below, can point to a thirsty young tree
  • Leaf drop in late winter or spring, before the new flush and the bloom, is normal for this tree
  • Slow, stunted growth in heavy, soggy soil points to poor drainage, which it handles badly
  • Sticky leaves and sooty mold on cars below come from aphids or scale, not from the watering

How to water it

  • Water a young jacaranda deeply over the root ball and beyond, widening coverage each year
  • Once it is established, give occasional deep summer soakings and let the soil dry well between them
  • Plant in full sun in well drained, slightly sandy soil, and avoid heavy, poorly drained ground
  • Run drip or a soaker ring under the outer canopy of an older tree, away from the trunk
  • Rake flower and leaf litter off drip lines and paving, since the tree sheds through much of the year

Through the seasons

Water a new jacaranda regularly through its first two summers, then switch to occasional deep soakings. Many trees drop leaves in late winter or spring, then cover themselves in lavender-blue flowers, around late May through June on the south coast. Ferny new leaves follow, and flat woody seed capsules dry on the branches. Winter rain covers the cool months on the coast and in the valley. WUCOLS rates jacaranda low water in the Central Valley and on the south coast. It rates moderate water on the north-central coast, in South Inland and in the low desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert.

In pots

Jacaranda grows too big for a container except while young, though seedlings make attractive foliage plants. Probe the mix 2 to 3 inches down every few days in summer, and soak it once that layer is dry. Let it drain fully, then empty the saucer. A potted seedling is grown for its ferny leaves, since flowers come only on much older trees. In winter, keep the pot frost-free and water lightly.

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
0.711.42.12.90.16JAN0.26FEB0.43MAR0.61APR0.83MAY0.99JUN1.07JUL0.95AUG0.72SEP0.47OCT0.22NOV0.14DEC0.711.42.12.90.16JFM0.61AMJ1.07JAS0.47OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 1.07 in Jul, 6.84 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Jacaranda: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.160.310.78–0.78
Feb0.530.260.320.87–0.93
Mar0.870.430.461.3–1.52
Apr1.180.610.561.61–1.95
May1.460.830.641.95–2.45
Jun1.610.990.692.29–2.79
Jul1.611.070.792.51–2.85
Aug1.490.950.742.33–2.6
Sep1.240.720.61.86–2.08
Oct0.870.470.461.33–1.49
Nov0.470.220.330.9–0.96
Dec0.310.140.260.68–0.68
Year126.846.218.41–21.08

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 low water in the Central Valley, like jacaranda. 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 jacaranda, 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 jacaranda in summer?

In July, established jacaranda 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 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 jacaranda need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established jacaranda 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 jacaranda change across California?

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

Mostly in late spring and early summer, and late May through June is typical in Santa Barbara. Timing shifts with the year and location. The display lasts several weeks.

Is jacaranda messy?

Yes. Flowers, leaflets, leaf stems and seed capsules drop at different times, so something is nearly always falling. Keep it away from pools and patios.

Why hasn't my jacaranda bloomed?

Age is a common reason, since seed-grown trees can take up to ten years to flower. Full sun and deep, occasional summer soakings give a mature tree its best show.

How cold can a jacaranda take?

Established trees have come through lows of about 18 to 20 degrees F. Protect young trees on frosty nights, since they have less wood to spare.

Can jacaranda grow in clay soil?

It often survives in heavier soil, but growth is slow and sometimes stunted. Plant on a slight mound and water slowly so each soak drains through.

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Sources