WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Hydrangea aspera villosa, WUCOLS IV

How often to water lacecap hydrangea in California

In July in the Central Valley, established lacecap hydrangea in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 12 gallons a week. This lacecap hydrangea is a large, upright deciduous shrub from western China with big, velvety leaves. In late summer it carries flat flower heads up to 8 inches wide, with small mauve fertile flowers ringed by white sterile florets. It grows in any moist but well-drained soil in part shade, or in sun if the soil stays reliably moist.

ShrubRated for 2 of 6 zones

How often to water lacecap hydrangea, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 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 lacecap hydrangea 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 the plant covers, 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 plant width

A shrub with its width marked from one side to the other and the circle under it shaded blue

Measure across the plant, from the tips of the leaves on one side to the tips on the other.

Water the whole area the plant covers, shown in blue. The gallons here cover that area.

A wider plant means more gallons each watering, not more waterings. While it is young, measure again each spring.

How to tell it needs water

  • Velvety leaves drooping by midday mean the lacecap hydrangea is short of water
  • Soil dry an inch or two down under the shrub in summer means it needs a deep drink
  • Leaf edges browning in sun point to too much heat and dry soil
  • Leaves yellowing in waterlogged soil point to poor drainage

How to water it

  • Keep the soil moist with deep, regular watering
  • Plant in part shade, or in sun only where soil stays reliably moist
  • Add organic matter to sandy or chalky soil
  • Mulch to keep roots cool and moist
  • Prune lightly, removing only dead wood

Through the seasons

Water new plants steadily through their first summer. Established shrubs need reliably moist soil, with the most water in the hot Central Valley. Flat flower heads open in late summer, and leaves drop for winter. WUCOLS rates lacecap hydrangea moderate water on the north-central coast. The Central Valley carries a high water rating. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert, and has not evaluated it for the south coast or South Inland.

In pots

Lacecap hydrangea can grow in a large tub in a shady corner, where its velvet leaves and lacy flowers shine. Use a moist but well-drained mix with plenty of organic matter. Water when the top inch dries, until it drains. In summer, check every day, since the big leaves lose water fast. Empty the saucer if water lingers. In winter, while bare, water only when the mix dries.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
4.27gal per sq ft in JulyHigh water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
27.38 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
1.12.13.24.30.64JAN1.04FEB1.74MAR2.43APR3.32MAY3.97JUN4.27JUL3.82AUG2.88SEP1.88OCT0.89NOV0.55DEC1.12.13.24.30.64JFM2.43AMJ4.27JAS1.88OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 4.27 in Jul, 27.38 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Lacecap Hydrangea: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.64––––
Feb0.531.04––––
Mar0.871.74––––
Apr1.182.43––––
May1.463.32––––
Jun1.613.97––––
Jul1.614.27––––
Aug1.493.82––––
Sep1.242.88––––
Oct0.871.88––––
Nov0.470.89––––
Dec0.310.55––––
Year1227.38––––

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 high water in the Central Valley, like lacecap hydrangea. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla & cvs.high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBlueberriesVaccinium hybrids and cvs (CA native and non- native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyShell GingerAlpinia zerumbethigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBog RosemaryAndromeda polifoliahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBlood Twig DogwoodCornus sanguineahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed-veined EnkianthusEnkianthus campanulatushigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyAbyssinian BananaEnsete ventricosumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyClimbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala petiolarishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulySnowball HydrangeaHydrangea arborescenshigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBrazilian Plume FlowerJusticia carneahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBananaMusa spp. (shade in low desert)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWillowSalix spp. (shrubs)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyVine MapleAcer circinatumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBig Leaf MapleAcer macrophyllumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWhite AlderAlnus rhombifoliahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed AlderAlnus rubra (Alnus oregona)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

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

RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBambooBambusa spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyLilacsSyringa hybrids (including Descanso hybrids)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySpireaSpiraea spp. (CA native and non native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyButterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWestern ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 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 lacecap hydrangea, 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 lacecap hydrangea need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established lacecap hydrangea needs about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 6.9 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 lacecap hydrangea change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates lacecap hydrangea separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, high water in the Central Valley zone, not evaluated 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.

Can lacecap hydrangea grow in sun?

It grows in sun only if the soil stays reliably moist. Partial shade is safer. Inland, afternoon shade is essential.

When does lacecap hydrangea bloom?

It blooms in late summer with flat heads of mauve flowers ringed by white florets. Water steadily as buds form. Leave old heads for winter interest if you like.

Is lacecap hydrangea poisonous?

It may cause mild stomach upset if eaten and can irritate skin. It is harmful to pets if eaten. Wear gloves when pruning.

How big does lacecap hydrangea get?

It grows about 5 to 8 feet tall and wide. It is large and upright. Give it room.

What pests bother lacecap hydrangea?

Aphids, capsid bugs, hydrangea scale and vine weevil can appear. Check leaves in summer. Healthy watering helps.

More plant watering guides

White-Barked Himalayan BirchSiberian BuglossMarsh MarigoldBlood Twig DogwoodUmbrella Sedge and PapyrusUmbrella PlantFoxgloveRed-veined Enkianthus

Sources