How often to water shrubby hare's ear in California
In July in the Central Valley, established shrubby hare's ear 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. Shrubby hare's ear is a dense, rounded evergreen shrub from the Mediterranean, 4 to 6 feet tall and wide, and an unusual woody member of the carrot family. Its leathery, blue-green leaves are gray beneath. Rounded clusters of tiny sulfur yellow flowers appear from late spring into summer. It needs very little irrigation once established but tolerates more.
How often to water shrubby hare's ear, 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
- Blue-green leaves on shrubby hare's ear losing their gloss while the soil is dry deep down mean it needs a soak
- Leaves yellowing on soil that stays wet point to poor drainage
- Firm, glossy leaves through summer show the plant has enough water
- Wilting new shoots on a young plant mean its roots need a deep drink
How to water it
- Water deeply and infrequently, letting the soil dry between soaks
- Plant in full sun to light shade in any soil that drains
- Use it as a hedge or background shrub, since it holds leaves to the ground
- Shape it with pruning when needed
- Run drip along the whole length of a hedge row, not only at each plant
Through the seasons
Water a new shrub regularly through its first summer while roots spread. Once established, it gets by with very little irrigation, though it takes more frequent water too. It is evergreen and blooms from late spring into summer. Winter rain covers its needs on the coast and in the Central Valley. Shrubby hare's ear gets a low water rating from WUCOLS on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley, on the south coast and in South Inland. Neither desert zone has a WUCOLS evaluation, as WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Shrubby hare's ear can grow in a large container on a windy, sunny terrace. Use a well-drained mix in a pot wide enough for its rounded form. Give it a thorough drink once the upper two inches feel dry. In summer, check every few days, more often in hot inland sun. Keep the saucer dry. Trim to shape as needed. In winter, rain usually covers it, so water only if the mix dries.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Shrubby Hare's Ear: 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 | 0.31 | – | – |
| Feb | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.32 | 0.35 | – | – |
| Mar | 0.35 | 0.43 | 0.46 | 0.52 | – | – |
| Apr | 0.47 | 0.61 | 0.56 | 0.64 | – | – |
| May | 0.58 | 0.83 | 0.64 | 0.78 | – | – |
| Jun | 0.64 | 0.99 | 0.69 | 0.92 | – | – |
| Jul | 0.64 | 1.07 | 0.79 | 1 | – | – |
| Aug | 0.6 | 0.95 | 0.74 | 0.93 | – | – |
| Sep | 0.5 | 0.72 | 0.6 | 0.74 | – | – |
| Oct | 0.35 | 0.47 | 0.46 | 0.53 | – | – |
| Nov | 0.19 | 0.22 | 0.33 | 0.36 | – | – |
| Dec | 0.12 | 0.14 | 0.26 | 0.27 | – | – |
| Year | 4.8 | 6.84 | 6.2 | 7.37 | – | – |
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 shrubby hare's ear. 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
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
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
SagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Wild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
CoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Sydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Blue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes shrubby hare's ear, 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 shrubby hare's ear in summer?
In July, established shrubby hare's ear in loam needs a deep watering about every 20 days in the Central Valley, about every 27 days on the south coast and about every 22 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 shrubby hare's ear need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established shrubby hare's ear 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 shrubby hare's ear change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates shrubby hare's ear 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, low water 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.
Is shrubby hare's ear related to carrots?
Yes, it is in the carrot family. It is unusual there as a woody shrub with simple, parallel-veined leaves. Its flat flower clusters show the family link.
Is shrubby hare's ear deer resistant?
It resists deer browsing. It also takes seaside exposure. That makes it useful near the beach and wild edges.
Does shrubby hare's ear attract pollinators?
Its flowers attract bird and insect pollinators. It is reported to support many beneficial insects. Plant it near vegetable beds or borders.
How cold can shrubby hare's ear take?
It is hardy to about 5 degrees F. Frost rarely harms it in mild climates. Young plants still benefit from mulch.
Can I use shrubby hare's ear as a hedge?
Yes, it holds foliage to the ground and takes shaping. It grows at a modest pace. Allow 4 to 6 feet of width per plant.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Bupleurum fruticosum, 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