WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Camellia reticulata, WUCOLS IV

How often to water reticulata camellia in California

In July in the Central Valley, established reticulata camellia in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 7.6 gallons a week. Reticulata camellia is an open, loosely branched evergreen shrub from the woodlands of southwest China, grown for the largest flowers of any camellia. Wild plants bear red or pink blooms up to 4 inches across, and hybrids reach 6 to 10 inches. It wants acidic, well-drained soil kept moist, above all in summer, when next year's buds form.

ShrubRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water reticulata camellia, 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 reticulata camellia 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 4 inches down under the mulch means it is time to water well
  • Buds and flowers dropping in winter or spring can trace back to dry soil the summer before, when those buds were forming
  • Leaves fading and browning at the edges in summer heat point to a dry root zone
  • Wilting over soil that stays wet points to poor drainage, which raises the risk of Phytophthora root rot
  • Spider mites, scale and aphids build up most on stressed plants, so a heavy infestation is a cue to check the watering

How to water it

  • Water the soil under the branches with drip or a slow hose rather than overhead spray
  • Soak until the root zone is moist well below the surface, then water again when the top 4 inches feel dry
  • Spread a thick layer of compost or bark mulch over the root zone to hold moisture, keeping it clear of the trunk
  • Plant in loose, acidic, organic soil that drains well, away from low spots where water stands
  • Give it bright light with shade from hot afternoon sun, and widen the watered area as the shrub fills out

Through the seasons

Water a new reticulata camellia as needed through its first 18 months, until roots spread into the surrounding soil. Established shrubs still need moist soil through summer, when flower buds form. The big flowers open from late winter into spring. It stays evergreen all year, and hard frost can damage it badly. Winter rain covers the cool months on the north-central coast and in the Central Valley, though dry winter spells call for a soil check before buds open. WUCOLS rates it moderate water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Camellias grow well in containers, and a pot suits a young reticulata camellia. Use an acidic potting mix and a container with drainage holes. Check the mix 2 inches down every few days in summer, and daily in South Inland or Central Valley heat. Water until it drains from the holes, then empty the saucer. Do not let a pot dry out in summer, when next year's flower buds form. Rainwater suits it better than hard tap water. Move the pot to shelter on frosty nights, since this species is very sensitive to frost.

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

Reticulata Camellia: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.78––
Feb0.530.650.810.87––
Mar0.871.091.151.3––
Apr1.181.521.41.61––
May1.462.081.611.95––
Jun1.612.481.742.29––
Jul1.612.671.982.51––
Aug1.492.391.862.33––
Sep1.241.81.491.86––
Oct0.871.181.151.33––
Nov0.470.560.840.9––
Dec0.310.340.650.68––
Year1217.1115.518.41––

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 reticulata camellia. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

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

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than reticulata camellia in the Central Valley. Worth a look for a new bed or a lawn replacement.

LavenderLavandula spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRosemaryRosmarinus officinalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyOlive TreesOlea europaea 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 JulyLantanaLantana camara ssp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyAloeAloe spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyJunipersJuniperus spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRussian SagePerovskia spp. & cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBlue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow 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 reticulata camellia, 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 reticulata camellia in summer?

In July, established reticulata camellia in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days in the Central Valley, about every 11 days on the south coast and about every 9 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 reticulata camellia need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established reticulata camellia needs about 1.1 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 4.3 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 reticulata camellia change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates reticulata camellia separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, moderate water in the South Coastal zone, moderate water 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 are my camellia buds falling off?

Dry soil the previous summer is a common cause, because that is when the buds form. Check 4 inches down through summer and water well when it is dry there. Frost can also damage buds and flowers on this tender species.

How big do reticulata camellia flowers get?

It has the largest flowers of any camellia species. Wild plants bear blooms up to 4 inches wide, and hybrids reach 6 to 10 inches. The heavy flowers sit at the branch tips and can bend the branches into an arch.

Can reticulata camellia take full sun?

It does best in good light with shade from hot afternoon sun. In its native woodland it grows beneath oaks and pines. A plant in hot sun dries out faster, so check its soil more often.

Should I water camellias with tap water?

Rainwater is the better choice where tap water is hard. Avoid long spells of watering with hard tap water if you can collect rain. Camellias need acidic soil, so feed in early spring with a fertilizer made for acid-loving plants.

How big does reticulata camellia grow?

In gardens it usually grows as a shrub to about 12 feet tall and as wide. In the wild it can become a tree up to 50 feet. Give it room, and widen the watered area as it spreads.

When should I prune a reticulata camellia?

It needs little regular pruning. Trim it after flowering if it outgrows its space. Hard pruning can cost a couple of years of good flowering.

More plant watering guides

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Sources