How often to water pride of Tenerife in California
In July in the Central Valley, established pride of Tenerife in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 3.0 gallons a week. Pride of Tenerife is a biennial from rocky soils of the Canary Islands that makes a big rosette of long, silver-hairy leaves in its first year. In the summer of its second year it sends up a towering leafy spike, often 10 to 15 feet tall, packed with small blue flowers. Then it dies, but it self-sows readily. It wants sun, good drainage and little water once rooted.
How often to water pride of Tenerife, 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 1.5 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 the plant covers, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.
How to tell it needs water
- Rosette leaves on pride of Tenerife drooping flat while the soil is dry several inches down mean it needs a soak
- Leaves yellowing at the base of the rosette in soggy soil point to overwatering
- A plant dying after its giant spike sets seed is normal for this biennial
- Frost-blackened leaf tips after a cold night point to cold damage, not thirst
How to water it
- Water a young rosette deeply when the top few inches of soil dry
- Plant in full sun in moderately fertile, well-drained soil
- Water less in winter, when rain usually covers its needs
- Wear gloves when handling it, since the hairs irritate skin
- Leave a few seedlings to replace the parent plant
Through the seasons
Water a new rosette regularly through its first dry season so it grows large before the spike. After that it needs little water. The rosette stays evergreen through its first winter, when rain covers its needs on the coast and in the Central Valley. Cover it with frost cloth on cold nights. The flower spike rises in its second summer, and the plant dies after setting seed. WUCOLS rates pride of Tenerife low water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley and on the south coast. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Young pride of Tenerife rosettes can grow in a deep pot for their first year, then need planting out before the spike forms. Use a loam-based, well-drained mix. Water freely while it grows, whenever the top inch or two dries, and let it drain. In summer, check every few days. Keep the saucer empty. In winter, water sparingly and keep the pot frost-free under cover.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Pride of Tenerife: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.31 | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.32 | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.35 | 0.43 | 0.46 | – | – | – |
| Apr | 0.47 | 0.61 | 0.56 | – | – | – |
| May | 0.58 | 0.83 | 0.64 | – | – | – |
| Jun | 0.64 | 0.99 | 0.69 | – | – | – |
| Jul | 0.64 | 1.07 | 0.79 | – | – | – |
| Aug | 0.6 | 0.95 | 0.74 | – | – | – |
| Sep | 0.5 | 0.72 | 0.6 | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.35 | 0.47 | 0.46 | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.19 | 0.22 | 0.33 | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.26 | – | – | – |
| Year | 4.8 | 6.84 | 6.2 | – | – | – |
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 pride of Tenerife. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
RosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
BougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
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
Olive TreesOlea europaea ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Crape MyrtleLagerstroemia spp., hybrids & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
LantanaLantana camara ssp. & 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
AloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
JunipersJuniperus 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 JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes pride of Tenerife, 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 pride of Tenerife in summer?
In July, established pride of Tenerife in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley and about every 27 days on the south coast. 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 pride of Tenerife need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established pride of Tenerife needs about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 8 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 pride of Tenerife change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates pride of Tenerife separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, low water in the Central Valley zone, low water 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.
Why did my pride of Tenerife die after flowering?
It is a biennial that dies after its single flower spike. This is normal. Seedlings usually come up nearby to replace it.
How tall does pride of Tenerife get?
The flower spike reaches 10 to 15 feet in its second summer. The first-year rosette stays low with long leaves. Give it space around the base.
Is pride of Tenerife a skin irritant?
Yes, its hairy leaves can irritate skin. Wear gloves when you handle or remove it. Long sleeves help when pulling spent stems.
Can pride of Tenerife take frost?
It handles only light frost. Cover young rosettes with frost cloth on cold nights. Mild gardens suit it best.
What other names does pride of Tenerife have?
It is also called tower of jewels. Its botanical name is Echium pininana. It is native to La Palma in the Canary Islands.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Echium pininana, 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