WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Enkianthus campanulatus, WUCOLS IV

How often to water red-veined enkianthus in California

In July in the Central Valley, established red-veined enkianthus in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 12 gallons a week. Red-veined enkianthus is a narrow, upright deciduous shrub or small tree in the blueberry family, usually 6 to 8 feet tall with layered branches. In late spring it hangs out clusters of nodding, bell-shaped flowers, and in fall its leaves turn brilliant yellow, red or orange. It wants acidic, moist, organically rich soil and suffers in dry weather.

ShrubRated for 2 of 6 zones

How often to water red-veined enkianthus, month by month

Your city
Plant width
4 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 red-veined enkianthus 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 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 an inch or two down under the shrub in summer means red-veined enkianthus needs water
  • Leaves scorching at the edges in a dry spell point to drought stress
  • Leaves yellowing between the veins point to soil that is not acidic enough
  • Seed capsules shaped like upturned bells are normal and decorative

How to water it

  • Keep the soil evenly moist with regular, deep watering
  • Plant in full sun to part shade in acidic, organically rich soil
  • Mulch with pine needles or bark to hold moisture
  • Prune right after flowering, since buds form on last year's growth
  • Plant it with rhododendrons, which share its needs

Through the seasons

Water a new shrub steadily through its first summers. Established plants still need regular moisture, especially in the hot Central Valley, since they suffer in drought. Flowers come in late spring, and fall color is outstanding. WUCOLS rates red-veined enkianthus moderate water on the north-central coast. In the Central Valley it carries a high water rating. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the low desert, and has not evaluated it for the south coast, South Inland or the high desert.

In pots

Red-veined enkianthus can grow in a large container of acidic, organically rich mix, which makes its soil needs easy to meet. Water when the top inch dries, until it drains through. In summer, check every day or two, since it suffers in dry weather. Keep the pot out of hot afternoon sun inland. Empty the saucer. In winter, while bare, water only when the mix dries.

1 Your climate zone six WUCOLS zones, each from its own reference city
4.27gal per sq ft in JulyHigh water use in the Central Valley zone
A year
27.38 gal per sq ft
Reference
Sacramento climate table
Counts
Plant need, before sprinkler losses
1.12.13.24.30.64JAN1.04FEB1.74MAR2.43APR3.32MAY3.97JUN4.27JUL3.82AUG2.88SEP1.88OCT0.89NOV0.55DEC1.12.13.24.30.64JFM2.43AMJ4.27JAS1.88OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 4.27 in Jul, 27.38 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Red-veined Enkianthus: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.64––––
Feb0.531.04––––
Mar0.871.74––––
Apr1.182.43––––
May1.463.32––––
Jun1.613.97––––
Jul1.614.27––––
Aug1.493.82––––
Sep1.242.88––––
Oct0.871.88––––
Nov0.470.89––––
Dec0.310.55––––
Year1227.38––––

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 high water in the Central Valley, like red-veined enkianthus. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

HydrangeaHydrangea macrophylla & cvs.high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBlueberriesVaccinium hybrids and cvs (CA native and non- native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyShell GingerAlpinia zerumbethigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBog RosemaryAndromeda polifoliahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBlood Twig DogwoodCornus sanguineahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyAbyssinian BananaEnsete ventricosumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyClimbing HydrangeaHydrangea anomala petiolarishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulySnowball HydrangeaHydrangea arborescenshigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyLacecap HydrangeaHydrangea aspera villosahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBrazilian Plume FlowerJusticia carneahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBananaMusa spp. (shade in low desert)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWillowSalix spp. (shrubs)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyVine MapleAcer circinatumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBig Leaf MapleAcer macrophyllumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWhite AlderAlnus rhombifoliahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed AlderAlnus rubra (Alnus oregona)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than red-veined enkianthus in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

RosesRosa hybrids..bushmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyAzaleasRhododendron spp. (CA native and non-native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCamelliasCamellia japonica (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGardeniasGardenia spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae (shade in desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHibiscusHibiscus rosa-sinensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySago PalmCycas revolutamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyArborvitaeThuja occidentalis ssp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBambooBambusa spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyLilacsSyringa hybrids (including Descanso hybrids)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySpireaSpiraea spp. (CA native and non native spp.)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyButterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWestern ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 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 red-veined enkianthus, 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 red-veined enkianthus need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established red-veined enkianthus needs about 1.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 6.9 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 red-veined enkianthus change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates red-veined enkianthus separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, high water in the Central Valley zone, not evaluated in the South Coastal zone, not evaluated in the South Inland zone, not evaluated 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.

What soil does enkianthus need?

It needs acidic, moist, organically rich, well-drained soil. It does well in clay. Rhododendrons are good companions.

When should I prune red-veined enkianthus?

Prune right after flowering. Next year's flowers form on last year's growth. Prune lightly.

Does enkianthus have fall color?

Yes, its leaves turn fantastic yellow, red or orange. Smooth brown bark adds winter interest. Plants are often propagated to keep the best color.

Can enkianthus handle drought?

No, it suffers in dry weather and drought. Water regularly and mulch. Inland, give afternoon shade.

Are the seed capsules useful?

Yes, the unusual capsules are prized for dried arrangements. They look like upturned bells. Leave some on the shrub.

More plant watering guides

HydrangeaBlueberriesBig Leaf MapleJapanese Sweet FlagWhite AlderRed AlderRed GingerShell Ginger

Sources