WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Anacyclus pyrethrum depressus, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Mount Atlas daisy in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Mount Atlas daisy in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.9 gallons a week. Mount Atlas daisy is a low, mat-forming perennial from rocky soils in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa. Finely cut, silvery gray-green leaves hug the ground, and white daisies with yellow centers open from red buds in spring and early summer. It needs sun and sharp drainage, dislikes winter wet and can be short-lived.

PerennialRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water Mount Atlas daisy, month by month

Your city
Plant width
2 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 Mount Atlas daisy 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 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.

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

  • Dry soil an inch or two below the mat tells you Mount Atlas daisy can take a drink
  • Silvery leaves shriveling at the edges in summer heat point to a root zone that has stayed dry too long
  • A mat that turns brown and mushy at the center after winter rain points to rot from wet soil
  • Aphids clustered on new shoots are a pest problem, not a sign of thirst
  • A plant fading after a few years may simply be short-lived, so let seedlings replace it

How to water it

  • Water Mount Atlas daisy at the soil beside the mat, never pooling water on the crown
  • Moisten the soil 4 to 6 inches deep, then let it dry well before watering again
  • Plant in full sun in gritty, sharply drained soil, such as a rock garden or raised bed
  • Top-dress with gravel so the crown and leaves stay dry
  • Let a few self-sown seedlings fill gaps, and water them lightly until they root

Through the seasons

Water a new Mount Atlas daisy lightly but steadily until the mat roots in. Established plants need water mainly in dry summer spells, and winter wet is the bigger danger. Its spring and early summer bloom starts as red buds that open white. Plants may be short-lived, but they self-sow without becoming aggressive. WUCOLS rates Mount Atlas daisy moderate water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. On the south coast and in South Inland it rates low water. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Mount Atlas daisy is well suited to a shallow pot or trough of gritty, fast-draining mix in full sun. In summer, water when the top inch is dry, checking every few days. Let water run straight through and never leave the pot sitting in a saucer of water. In winter, move it under cover from heavy rain, since wet mix rots the crown. A pot lets you lift the plant out of a rainy spot and back into the sun once the weather clears.

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

Mount Atlas Daisy: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.310.31––
Feb0.530.650.320.35––
Mar0.871.090.460.52––
Apr1.181.520.560.64––
May1.462.080.640.78––
Jun1.612.480.690.92––
Jul1.612.670.791––
Aug1.492.390.740.93––
Sep1.241.80.60.74––
Oct0.871.180.460.53––
Nov0.470.560.330.36––
Dec0.310.340.260.27––
Year1217.116.27.37––

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 Mount Atlas daisy. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

DahliasDahlia spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernsNephrolepis cordifolia (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyDayliliesHemerocallis spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBegoniasBegonia & ssp. & cvs. (shade in the desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCalla LiliesZantedeschia aethiopica SHADE IN DESERTmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBicolor MonkshoodAconitum cammarummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGarden MonkshoodAconitum napellusmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCarpet BugleAjuga reptans (shade)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySnowdrop WindflowerAnemone sylvestrismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain SandwortArenaria montanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySwamp MilkweedAsclepias incarnatamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyOrange MilkweedAsclepias tuberosamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGreater MasterwortAstrantia majormoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHardy BegoniaBegonia grandismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Mount Atlas daisy in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPurple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCalifornia Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWoolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPerennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow 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 Mount Atlas daisy, 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 Mount Atlas daisy in summer?

In July, established Mount Atlas daisy in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days in the Central Valley, about every 18 days on the south coast and about every 14 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 Mount Atlas daisy need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Mount Atlas daisy needs about 0.3 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.1 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 Mount Atlas daisy change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Mount Atlas daisy separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water 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.

Why did my Mount Atlas daisy rot over winter?

It dislikes winter wet and needs sharp drainage. Grow it in gritty soil, on a slope, in a raised bed or under cover from heavy rain.

How long does Mount Atlas daisy live?

It can be short-lived, but it self-sows without becoming aggressive. Keep a few seedlings to replace older plants.

Does Mount Atlas daisy need pruning?

No pruning is needed. Pick off dead leaves if winter leaves the mat untidy.

Why are Mount Atlas daisy buds red?

The buds are red before they open into white daisies with yellow centers. It is a normal trait of this plant and has nothing to do with water.

Can you overwater Mount Atlas daisy?

Yes, easily. Soggy soil rots the crown, especially in winter. Let the soil dry well between waterings.

More plant watering guides

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Sources