How often to water mountain lady's mantle in California
In July in the Central Valley, established mountain 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. Mountain lady's mantle is a low, mat-forming perennial only a few inches tall. Its leaves are split into leaflets that are silvery beneath and look white-edged above. Loose sprays of tiny yellow-green flowers appear in summer. It suits rock gardens and walls, wants well-drained soil, and appreciates part shade where summers are hot.
How often to water mountain 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
- If the soil an inch or two under the mat is dry, mountain lady's mantle is ready for water
- Leaflets folding and the mat looking dull in summer heat point to a dry root zone or too much sun
- Brown, scorched patches in a hot, sunny spot show the plant needs more shade
- A soggy, rotting center in poorly drained soil points to too much water
How to water it
- Water mountain lady's mantle gently at the edge of the mat, keeping the crown from sitting wet
- Moisten the soil 6 inches deep, then let the top inch dry before watering again
- Plant in well-drained soil in a rock garden, wall pocket or raised bed
- Give it afternoon shade in hot inland gardens
- Use a thin layer of gravel around the mat to keep the crown dry
Through the seasons
Water a new mountain lady's mantle regularly until the mat starts to spread. Established plants need soil checks in summer, especially in sunny spots. Flowers appear in summer, and cutting back afterward keeps the mat neat. The leaves are deciduous, so needs fall in winter. On the north-central coast, WUCOLS rates mountain lady's mantle moderate water. In the Central Valley its rating is low water. WUCOLS marks the south coast, South Inland, the high desert and the low desert as not suited.
In pots
Mountain lady's mantle fits a shallow pot or trough of gritty, well-drained mix. Check the top inch every few days in warm weather and water when it is dry. Let water drain freely and keep the saucer empty. Place the pot where it gets morning sun and afternoon shade in summer. After flowering, cut the plant back to keep the mat tidy, and water lightly while it rests in winter.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Mountain 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 mountain 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
Lady's MantleAlchemilla mollislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes mountain 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 mountain lady's mantle need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established mountain 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 mountain lady's mantle change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates mountain 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.
Can mountain lady's mantle grow in full sun?
It grows in sun or part shade, but in hot summers it does better with some shade. Sun dries the soil faster, so check more often.
Should I cut back mountain lady's mantle?
Yes, cut it back after flowering to keep the mat neat. Water the fresh growth if the soil is dry.
How do I propagate mountain lady's mantle?
Sow seed in spring or divide the mat in early spring or autumn. Keep divisions lightly moist until they root.
Where does mountain lady's mantle grow best?
It does well in rock gardens and planted walls with good drainage. In the wild it grows in mountain meadows, along streams and in open woods of northern and western Europe.
Can you overwater mountain lady's mantle?
Yes. It needs well-drained soil, and a mat sitting in wet ground can rot. Let the top inch dry between waterings.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Alchemilla alpina, 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