How often to water Japanese plum yew in California
In July in the Central Valley, established Japanese plum yew 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. Japanese plum yew is a slow, broad evergreen conifer from Asia, usually 5 to 10 feet tall and a little wider, with soft, dark green needles on horizontal branches. Unlike most yews it handles summer heat, and it takes more shade than most needled evergreens. Female plants bear plumlike seeds when a male plant grows nearby. It is deer resistant.
How often to water Japanese plum yew, 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
- A plum yew whose soil is dry 3 inches down under the branches in summer is ready for water
- Needles looking dull and dry in a hot inland summer point to too much sun combined with dry soil
- Needle tips browning and dropping inside the shrub can follow a long dry spell
- Yellow, thinning growth over soil that stays soggy suggests poor drainage
How to water it
- Run drip or a soaker in a loop under the spreading branches
- Wet the root zone about 8 inches deep, and let the upper couple of inches dry before repeating
- Give it partial shade, or full sun only where summers are cool
- Plant in moist, well-drained soil, though it copes with sand or clay
- Mulch under the branches to keep roots cool
Through the seasons
Keep a new plum yew evenly moist through its first summer while roots spread. Once established it tolerates drought and heat, though young plants need steady moisture. It is evergreen and grows slowly, so water needs change little through the year. On the north-central coast and in the Central Valley, WUCOLS gives Japanese plum yew a moderate water rating. It has not been evaluated for the south coast, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Japanese plum yew grows slowly enough to live for years in a large container. Use a well-drained mix. Water once the top two inches feel dry, pouring until the excess runs from the holes. On warm days a pot can dry out within a few days, so look often. Do not leave water standing in the saucer. Set the pot in afternoon shade. In winter, rain may cover it, so feel the mix first.
- A year
- 17.11 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Japanese Plum Yew: 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 | – | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | 0.65 | – | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | 1.09 | – | – | – | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | 1.52 | – | – | – | – |
| May | 1.46 | 2.08 | – | – | – | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | 2.48 | – | – | – | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | 2.67 | – | – | – | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | 2.39 | – | – | – | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | 1.8 | – | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | 1.18 | – | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | 0.56 | – | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | 0.34 | – | – | – | – |
| Year | 12 | 17.11 | – | – | – | – |
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 Japanese plum yew. 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 Japanese plum yew 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 Japanese plum yew, 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 water does Japanese plum yew need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established Japanese plum yew 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 Japanese plum yew change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates Japanese plum yew separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, not evaluated in the South Coastal zone, not evaluated 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.
Can Japanese plum yew grow in shade?
Yes, it tolerates shade better than most needled evergreens. In hot summer areas it needs partial shade. Full sun suits it only where summers stay cool.
Is Japanese plum yew poisonous?
It carries a medium poison rating. Keep children and pets from chewing it or eating the seeds. Wear gloves when pruning if your skin is sensitive.
Why doesn't my plum yew make fruit?
Plants are male or female, and a female needs a male nearby to set seed. The seeds look like small plums. Many garden plants never fruit.
Do deer eat Japanese plum yew?
It is deer resistant, unlike many true yews. That makes it useful in deer country. Browsing damage is uncommon.
How big does Japanese plum yew get?
It usually reaches 5 to 10 feet tall and about as wide, often wider than tall. It can be trained into a small tree. Growth is slow.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Cephalotaxus harringtonia & ssp. & cvs., 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