WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Aubrieta deltoidea, WUCOLS IV

How often to water aubrieta rock cress in California

In July in the Central Valley, established aubrieta rock cress 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. Aubrieta rock cress is a low, mat-forming evergreen perennial from rocky mountain soils of the eastern Mediterranean, only a few inches tall. Small, hairy, gray-green leaves vanish under lavender to purple flowers from spring into early summer. It wants excellent drainage and drapes well over walls. In hot inland summers it needs afternoon shade.

PerennialRated for 2 of 6 zones

How often to water aubrieta rock cress, 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 aubrieta rock cress 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

  • The mat of aubrieta rock cress going dull and limp while the soil is dry an inch down means it needs water
  • Leaves crisping at the edges in afternoon sun point to heat stress
  • The center of the mat rotting after winter rain points to poor drainage
  • Open, leggy growth after bloom calls for a trim, not more water

How to water it

  • Water at the base of the mat, not over the foliage
  • Plant in sandy or gritty soil with excellent drainage, such as a wall or rock garden
  • Give it afternoon shade where summers are hot
  • Shear it back after flowering to keep it compact
  • Let the soil dry an inch down between waterings

Through the seasons

Water new plants regularly until the mat spreads. Established plants need modest summer water, and more where summers run hot. It is evergreen and flowers from spring into early summer, when steady moisture helps. Winter rain covers its needs on the north-central coast, but soggy winter soil can rot it. WUCOLS rates aubrieta rock cress low water on the north-central coast. The Central Valley carries a moderate water rating. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to South Inland. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the south coast, the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Aubrieta rock cress spills nicely over the rim of a pot or trough. Use a gritty, free-draining mix in a wide, shallow container. Water when the top inch dries, until it drains through. In summer heat, check every couple of days and move the pot into afternoon shade. Keep the saucer empty. Trim the stems after bloom. In winter, water only when the mix dries, and keep it out of standing rain.

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

Aubrieta Rock Cress: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.150.4––––
Feb0.210.65––––
Mar0.351.09––––
Apr0.471.52––––
May0.582.08––––
Jun0.642.48––––
Jul0.642.67––––
Aug0.62.39––––
Sep0.51.8––––
Oct0.351.18––––
Nov0.190.56––––
Dec0.120.34––––
Year4.817.11––––

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 aubrieta rock cress. 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 aubrieta rock cress 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 aubrieta rock cress, 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 aubrieta rock cress need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established aubrieta rock cress 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 aubrieta rock cress change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates aubrieta rock cress separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, moderate water in the Central Valley zone, not evaluated in the South Coastal zone, not suited to this region 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.

When does aubrieta bloom?

It blooms from spring into early summer. Lavender to purplish pink flowers cover the mat. Shear it back after bloom to renew it.

Does aubrieta need full sun?

It likes cool sun and can take light shade. In hot summer areas, give it afternoon shade. Excellent drainage matters as much as light.

Does aubrieta spread on its own?

It spreads slowly as a mat and also self-sows. Seedlings can fill gaps in a wall. Pull extras where they are not wanted.

Can aubrieta grow on a wall?

Yes, it drapes over walls and suits rock gardens and gravel. Plant it in a gap with gritty soil. Water deeply until it roots in.

What pests bother aubrieta?

Aphids, flea beetles and leaf and bud eelworms can attack it. White blister is a common disease. Good air flow and dry foliage help.

More plant watering guides

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Sources