WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Cercidiphyllum japonicum, WUCOLS IV

How often to water katsura tree in California

In July in the Central Valley, established katsura tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy, about 47 gallons a week. Katsura tree is a deciduous shade tree from Japan with rounded, heart-shaped leaves that open reddish purple and color yellow to orange in fall. Fallen leaves can smell of burnt sugar. It has poor drought tolerance and needs ample water to establish. Drought and wind both scorch its leaves.

TreeRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water katsura 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 katsura 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 soil 4 inches below the surface at the canopy edge means katsura tree is due for a deep soak
  • Brown, crisp leaf margins after heat or wind point to scorch from a dry root zone
  • Midday droop on a young katsura calls for a finger check of the nursery root ball
  • Yellowing leaves over soggy soil can indicate poor drainage around the roots
  • Pale, weak growth in alkaline ground reflects the soil, not a shortage of water

How to water it

  • Water katsura tree under the canopy with drip or a soaker, wetting the full root zone
  • Wet the soil a foot or more down at each watering, and water again once the top 3 inches feel dry
  • Spread wood chip mulch out to the drip line to keep roots cool, clear of the trunk
  • Plant in rich, well-drained soil out of hot, drying wind where you can
  • Move drip emitters outward as the canopy widens to cover new roots

Through the seasons

A new katsura needs ample water to establish, so keep its root ball and the soil around it moist through the first few summers. Even an established katsura wants a deep soak whenever the soil dries, because drought and wind both scorch its leaves. New leaves open reddish purple in spring, and fall color comes before the leaves drop. Irrigation matters most from leaf out through early fall. Rain usually carries the bare tree through winter on the coast and in the Central Valley. Its WUCOLS rating is moderate water in the Central Valley, on the south coast and on the north-central coast. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for South Inland. It marks katsura as not suited to the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Katsura tree becomes a large shade tree, so a pot is only a short stop for a young one. Pick a deep, free-draining container filled with a rich mix. Check 2 inches down often in summer heat, since a potted katsura scorches quickly when the mix dries. Water until it drains through the holes, then empty the saucer. Keep the pot out of drying wind. It is difficult to transplant, so move it into the ground while it is young.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
2.67gal per sq ft in JulyModerate water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
17.11 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
0.671.32.02.70.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.671.32.02.70.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

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

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.78–––
Feb0.530.650.81–––
Mar0.871.091.15–––
Apr1.181.521.4–––
May1.462.081.61–––
Jun1.612.481.74–––
Jul1.612.671.98–––
Aug1.492.391.86–––
Sep1.241.81.49–––
Oct0.871.181.15–––
Nov0.470.560.84–––
Dec0.310.340.65–––
Year1217.1115.5–––

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 katsura tree. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Citrus TreesCitrus spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyJapanese MapleAcer palmatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAvocado TreesPersea americanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMagnolia TreesMagnolia grandiflora ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPalm TreesSyagrus romanzoffiana (Arecastrum romanzoffianum)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyApple TreesMalus spp. (edible) e.g, 'Anna' (low chill variety for low desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPeach TreesPrunus spp. ediblemoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyPersimmon TreesDiospyros kakimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAmur MapleAcer ginnalamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernleaf MapleAcer japonicummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBox ElderAcer negundomoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyNorway MapleAcer platanoidesmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed MapleAcer rubrummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyChinese MapleAcer truncatummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed HorsechestnutAesculus x carneamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than katsura tree in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

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 katsura 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 katsura tree in summer?

In July, established katsura tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley and about every 11 days on the south coast. 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 katsura tree need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established katsura tree needs about 6.8 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 27 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 katsura tree change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates katsura tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, not evaluated in the South Inland zone, not suited to this region in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, not suited to this region in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why do katsura leaves smell like burnt sugar?

Fallen autumn leaves give off a scent likened to cinnamon, ripe apples or burnt sugar. It is a normal trait of the tree. It has nothing to do with watering.

Why are my katsura leaves scorched?

Drought and wind are the usual causes. Dig down a few inches under the canopy, and if it is dry there, give a long, slow soak. A wind-sheltered site and a wide mulch ring help prevent repeat scorch.

Does katsura tree grow in alkaline soil?

It performs poorly in alkaline soil. Extra water will not fix weak growth caused by the soil itself. Where native soil is alkaline, consider a different tree.

Can I transplant an established katsura?

It is difficult to transplant, so choose its spot carefully. A moved tree needs steady moisture through its next few summers while roots regrow.

Can you overwater katsura tree?

Yes. It needs moisture but also well-drained soil. Ground that stays waterlogged can damage roots, so wait for the upper soil to dry before the next soak.

More plant watering guides

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Sources