WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Araucaria araucana, WUCOLS IV

How often to water monkey puzzle tree in California

In July in the Central Valley, established monkey puzzle 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. Monkey puzzle tree is a stately evergreen conifer from the Andes of Chile and Argentina, armored with stiff, sharp, triangular leaves. Young trees are symmetrical cones, while old ones carry an umbrella-shaped crown atop a tall, bare trunk. It thrives in mild, cool climates and needs well-drained soil with deep soakings while it establishes.

TreeRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water monkey puzzle 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 monkey puzzle 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

  • Soil dry 4 to 6 inches down at the edge of a young monkey puzzle root ball signals that it needs a soak
  • Dull, drooping new growth over dry ground in summer heat can indicate thirst on a young tree
  • Lower branches dying back on a maturing tree are part of its natural shape, so check the soil before blaming thirst
  • Yellowing or browning foliage over soil that stays wet can indicate Phytophthora root rot or poor drainage
  • Sticky leaves and black sooty mold point to scale insects rather than a watering problem

How to water it

  • Water a young monkey puzzle tree over its root ball and a widening ring of soil beyond it
  • Soak slowly so water reaches 18 inches down, then let the upper soil dry before the next soak
  • Plant in well-drained soil, avoiding low spots in clay where water lingers around the roots
  • Mulch the root area with coarse wood chips, keeping them clear of the trunk
  • Shift water outward past the canopy edge as the tree matures and its surface roots spread

Through the seasons

Give a new monkey puzzle tree deep soakings through its first few summers while roots establish. It comes from cool, maritime climates and stays evergreen all year. WUCOLS rates monkey puzzle tree low water on the north-central coast and moderate water in the Central Valley and South Inland. It marks the south coast, the high desert and the low desert as not suited to it. Established trees take deep, widely spaced soakings through the dry season. Winter rain usually carries it through the cool months on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. Added water there matters mainly in dry winters.

In pots

A young monkey puzzle tree can spend a few years in a large container before it needs open ground. Use a deep pot with open drainage holes and a gritty, well-drained mix. Check the mix 2 inches down every few days in summer heat, and water when it is dry there. Water until excess drains, then empty the saucer so the roots never stand in water. Shade the pot from harsh afternoon sun in hot inland areas. In winter, water lightly and only when the mix begins to dry.

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

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

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.4–0.78––
Feb0.210.65–0.87––
Mar0.351.09–1.3––
Apr0.471.52–1.61––
May0.582.08–1.95––
Jun0.642.48–2.29––
Jul0.642.67–2.51––
Aug0.62.39–2.33––
Sep0.51.8–1.86––
Oct0.351.18–1.33––
Nov0.190.56–0.9––
Dec0.120.34–0.68––
Year4.817.11–18.41––

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 monkey puzzle 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 monkey puzzle 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 monkey puzzle 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 monkey puzzle tree in summer?

In July, established monkey puzzle tree in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley 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 monkey puzzle tree need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established monkey puzzle 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 monkey puzzle tree change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates monkey puzzle tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, not suited to this region in the South Coastal zone, moderate water 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.

Do monkey puzzle tree roots damage paving?

They can. Its surface roots are capable of lifting sidewalks and getting in the way of mowing. Plant it well away from paving and lawns.

Are monkey puzzle cones dangerous?

Seed cones can reach about 8 inches and fall to the ground when mature, which makes them a hazard on paths. Most trees bear either male or female cones, and seeds come only after 30 to 40 years. Keep walkways clear of the canopy of a seed bearing tree.

Can monkey puzzle tree grow near the ocean?

Yes. It is salt tolerant and does best in cool, mild maritime climates. It handles urban pollution poorly, so a busy street is a worse site than a coastal garden.

Can you overwater a monkey puzzle tree?

Yes. It needs well-drained soil and is susceptible to Phytophthora and other root rots. Water deeply, then let the soil dry partway before the next soak. Keep it out of lawns that stay wet.

Why are monkey puzzle leaves so sharp?

Its thick, triangular leaves end in stiff, spiny tips and can last 10 to 15 years. On young trees they cover the trunk as well as the branches. Wear heavy gloves when pruning or clearing fallen branches.

How big does a monkey puzzle tree get?

In gardens it typically reaches 60 to 70 feet tall and 30 to 35 feet wide over many years. It needs an open, sunny spot with room for that size. Place it where its broad crown will not crowd buildings or wires.

More plant watering guides

Spotted DeadnettleGayfeatherChinese Sweet GumSweet GumTulip TreeSweet Breath of SpringPrivet HoneysuckleTrumpet Honeysuckle

Sources