WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Clivia miniata, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Natal lily in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Natal lily 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. Natal lily, often called clivia, is an evergreen clumping perennial from South Africa with dark green, strap-shaped leaves. From winter into spring it holds clusters of large orange flowers with yellow throats on thick stalks, followed by red berries. It is drought tolerant in shade, and overwatering is a quicker way to lose it than thirst.

PerennialRated for 5 of 6 zones

How often to water Natal lily, 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 Natal lily 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

  • Soil dry 2 to 3 inches down beside the clump in summer signals that Natal lily can use a soak
  • Leaves losing their gloss and flattening out can indicate a long dry spell
  • Yellow, scorched patches on leaves point to too much sun rather than dry soil
  • Soft, rotting leaf bases at the center of the clump over wet soil suggest crown rot from overwatering
  • Rust spots on leaves can follow overhead watering

How to water it

  • Water at the soil around the clump, early in the day, never into the leaf fans
  • Soak several inches down, then let the top couple of inches dry
  • Plant in part shade to full shade, in humus-rich soil that drains well
  • Mulch lightly around the clump to keep roots cool, clear of the leaf bases
  • Leave the clump undisturbed, since it flowers better when crowded

Through the seasons

Water a new Natal lily regularly through its first summer while roots settle. Established clumps get by with occasional soaks, since they are drought tolerant in shade. It is evergreen and flowers from winter to early spring, when rain often supplies its water in coastal gardens. Snails may feed on the flowers then. WUCOLS rates Natal lily low water on the north-central coast and on the south coast. It rates moderate water in the Central Valley, in South Inland and in the low desert. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert.

In pots

Natal lily blooms best when a little rootbound, so leave it in the same pot for years. Use well-drained mix and water when the top inch or two dries, letting excess drain out. In summer shade outdoors, check every few days. Empty the saucer to keep the crown dry. A cool, drier rest of a month or two in late fall, with nights below about 50 degrees F, helps a potted plant flower. Move it under cover if frost threatens.

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
0.711.42.12.90.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.711.42.12.90.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Natal Lily: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.40.310.78–0.78
Feb0.210.650.320.87–0.93
Mar0.351.090.461.3–1.52
Apr0.471.520.561.61–1.95
May0.582.080.641.95–2.45
Jun0.642.480.692.29–2.79
Jul0.642.670.792.51–2.85
Aug0.62.390.742.33–2.6
Sep0.51.80.61.86–2.08
Oct0.351.180.461.33–1.49
Nov0.190.560.330.9–0.96
Dec0.120.340.260.68–0.68
Year4.817.116.218.41–21.08

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 Natal lily. 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 Natal lily 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 Natal lily, 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 Natal lily in summer?

In July, established Natal lily 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 6 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 Natal lily need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Natal lily 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 Natal lily change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Natal lily separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water in the South Inland zone, not evaluated in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

Why won't my Natal lily bloom?

Young plants take a few years to reach blooming size. Potted plants flower best when kept rootbound and given a cool, dry pause in late fall. Keep that pause short, about four to eight weeks.

Can Natal lily grow in full sun?

It prefers part shade to deep shade. Direct sun scorches the leaves, especially inland. Plant it under trees or on a shaded side of the house.

Why is my clivia rotting at the base?

Crown rot follows overwatering and soggy soil. Water only when the top couple of inches are dry, and keep water out of the leaf bases. Improve drainage before replanting.

Is Natal lily poisonous?

It carries a low poison rating. Keep pets and children from chewing the leaves or berries. Wear gloves if your skin is sensitive.

What is eating my clivia flowers?

Snails often feed on the flowers outdoors. Mealybugs, scale and mites can attack the leaves. Pick off snails in the evening during bloom.

More plant watering guides

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Sources