How often to water lady's mantle in California
In July in the Central Valley, established lady's mantle in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 0.8 gallons a week. Lady's mantle is a low, mounding perennial from the mountains of southeastern Europe and western Asia, grown for soft, scalloped leaves that hold rain in round beads. Frothy chartreuse flowers rise above the mound in late spring and early summer. It likes moist, well drained soil and some afternoon shade, and its leaves scorch when the ground dries out in hot weather.
How often to water lady's mantle, 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 foot 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
- Soil dry 2 inches down beside the clump in summer means lady's mantle is ready for a soak
- Crisp brown leaf edges in hot weather point to soil that dried out, too much afternoon sun, or both
- Leaves flattened and limp by late afternoon, and still limp the next morning, point to a dry root zone
- Faded, tattered leaves after flowering are normal by midsummer and call for a cutback, not extra water
- Yellowing leaves over soil that stays wet for days point to waterlogged ground, which lady's mantle does not like
How to water it
- Apply water to the soil under the mound with drip or a soaker hose, not over the water-shedding leaves
- Wet the soil about 8 inches down, then let the top inch or two dry before the next soak
- Spread compost mulch around clumps in spring to hold moisture over summer, keeping it off the crown
- Plant where afternoon shade falls in hot inland gardens, in soil that drains and never stands wet
- After cutting the tired plant back in midsummer, water it well so fresh leaves regrow quickly
Through the seasons
Plant in fall or spring when the soil is damp and warm, and keep a summer planting moist until the roots settle. An established clump goes longer between soaks, but summer drought will scorch its leaves. Leaves emerge in spring, flowers follow in late spring and early summer, and the mound looks tired by midsummer. Cut it back and water, and new leaves return. The top dies back over winter. WUCOLS rates lady's mantle moderate water on the north-central coast and low water in the Central Valley, where winter rain covers the cool months. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the south coast, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Lady's mantle grows well in containers, often as a soft edge to a mixed planting. Potting mix dries out quickly in hot weather, so check it 1 inch down every day or two in summer. Water until it runs from the drainage holes, then empty the saucer, since waterlogged mix harms the roots. Move the pot into afternoon shade during hot spells to spare the leaves. The top dies back over winter, so water only when the mix is nearly dry until new leaves sprout in spring.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Lady's Mantle: 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 | 0.16 | – | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | 0.26 | – | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | 0.43 | – | – | – | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | 0.61 | – | – | – | – |
| May | 1.46 | 0.83 | – | – | – | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | 0.99 | – | – | – | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | 1.07 | – | – | – | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | 0.95 | – | – | – | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | 0.72 | – | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | 0.47 | – | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | 0.22 | – | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | 0.14 | – | – | – | – |
| Year | 12 | 6.84 | – | – | – | – |
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 lady's mantle. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
GeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and 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
IrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria 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
YarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Silver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Purple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Silvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Fern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
California Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Woolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Perennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes lady's mantle, 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 lady's mantle need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established lady's mantle 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 lady's mantle change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates lady's mantle separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, not suited to this region in the South Coastal zone, not suited to this region 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 water drops sit on lady's mantle leaves?
The velvety, softly hairy leaves are water-resistant, so rain and dew collect in round beads instead of wetting the leaf. This is the plant's best known feature, not a sign of disease. It also means overhead watering wets the leaves more than the soil.
Should I cut back lady's mantle after it flowers?
Yes, once flowering ends and the leaves look tired. Cut the whole plant to the base, then water well, and fresh leaves soon grow. Removing spent flowers early also stops self-seeding and can bring a sparse late summer rebloom.
How do I stop lady's mantle from spreading?
It self-sows freely and can become somewhat invasive where it grows well. Snip off faded flower stems before the seed sets. Pull unwanted seedlings while they are small.
Can lady's mantle take full sun in California?
It grows in sun or part shade, but in hot summer climates it does best with afternoon shade. In full sun the leaves can scorch, especially if the soil dries. In the Central Valley, choose a spot shaded from late day sun.
Do deer and slugs eat lady's mantle?
Deer and rabbits tend to leave it alone, and its downy leaves resist slugs and snails. It is generally free of serious pests and diseases. Most problems trace back to dry soil, harsh sun or wet ground.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Alchemilla mollis, 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