WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Acer griseum, WUCOLS IV

How often to water paperbark maple in California

In July in the Central Valley, established paperbark maple 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. Paperbark maple is a small, slow-growing deciduous tree from central China. Its cinnamon to reddish brown bark peels back in thin, papery curls that stay on the trunk. Each leaf has three leaflets, silvery beneath, that turn red and orange late in fall. It wants moist, well-drained soil and a site sheltered from strong wind.

TreeRated for 2 of 6 zones

How often to water paperbark maple, 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 paperbark maple 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 inches down under a young tree during a dry spell in its first two summers calls for a slow soak
  • Crisp, browned leaf edges after hot sun or drying wind point to leaf scorch, which maples get in exposed sites
  • A white, powdery coating on the leaves in a dry summer can signal that the soil is running too dry
  • Thin, yellowing leaves on a tree in soggy ground point to root rot, since maples suffer in wet soil
  • Bark peeling in papery curls is the tree's normal habit, not a sign of drought stress

How to water it

  • Run drip or a soaker under the canopy and soak the soil 12 to 18 inches deep
  • Let the top few inches dry before the next soaking, because maples dislike waterlogged soil
  • Spread 4 inches of compost or bark mulch over the root zone, keeping it clear of the trunk
  • Plant it in sun or light shade, sheltered from strong wind, in soil that drains well
  • Move the drip line outward as the slow-growing crown widens over the years

Through the seasons

Water a newly planted paperbark maple during dry spells for its first two years, especially if it went in during spring. After that, deep soakings through the dry season keep the soil from going very dry, which maples dislike. Fall color comes late, in red and orange, and the leaves often hang on into winter. Rain usually does the watering from late fall into spring on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS rates paperbark maple moderate water on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the south coast. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Paperbark maple is a popular bonsai, and a young tree can spend a few years in a large container before planting out. Use a loam-based mix and a pot with open drainage holes. In hot weather, test the mix 2 inches down every couple of days and water when it is dry there. Water until it runs out the bottom, then empty the saucer. Set the pot out of drying wind and hot afternoon sun. Through winter, water only when the mix starts 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

Paperbark Maple: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.4––––
Feb0.530.65––––
Mar0.871.09––––
Apr1.181.52––––
May1.462.08––––
Jun1.612.48––––
Jul1.612.67––––
Aug1.492.39––––
Sep1.241.8––––
Oct0.871.18––––
Nov0.470.56––––
Dec0.310.34––––
Year1217.11––––

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 paperbark maple. 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 paperbark maple 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 paperbark maple, 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 paperbark maple need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established paperbark maple 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 paperbark maple change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates paperbark maple separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, not suited to this region in the South Coastal zone, not evaluated 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 is the bark peeling off my paperbark maple?

Peeling is the tree's best feature, not a problem. The bark curls back in sheets that cling to the tree instead of dropping to the ground. Remove very low branches gradually to show more of the trunk.

How big does paperbark maple get?

It grows slowly to about 20 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 25 feet wide. That size suits a patio, a small yard or a spot beside a pool.

When should I prune paperbark maple?

It needs little pruning. Cut when the tree is fully dormant, about November to January, or in late summer. Maples bleed sap from cuts made at other times, which weakens the tree.

Why are the leaf edges on my paperbark maple turning brown?

Brown edges usually mean leaf scorch, which maples develop in windy or very sunny spots. Check that the soil is not drying out deeply in summer. For a new planting, choose a site out of strong wind.

Does paperbark maple have fall color?

Yes, red and orange, though it is one of the last maples to change. Many leaves stay on the branches into winter.

Can you overwater paperbark maple?

Yes. Maples are prone to root rot in soil that stays wet, so plant where water drains away. Let the upper soil dry between deep soakings.

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Sources