WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Brunnera macrophylla, WUCOLS IV

How often to water Siberian bugloss in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Siberian bugloss in loam needs a deep watering about every 3 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 3.0 gallons a week. Siberian bugloss is a clumping perennial from the mountain forests of Turkey and the Caucasus. Its large, heart-shaped, rough leaves form a mound about 1.5 feet tall. Sprays of tiny blue flowers like forget-me-nots float above them from early spring into early summer. It wants shade, cool nights and fertile, moist, well-drained soil, and it is intolerant of dry soil.

PerennialRated for 3 of 6 zones

How often to water Siberian bugloss, 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 Siberian bugloss 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

  • Soil dry an inch down in the clump in summer means Siberian bugloss needs water right away
  • Large leaves wilting by midday point to dry soil or too much sun
  • Leaves scorching brown in hot sun point to a site that is too exposed
  • Holes chewed in leaves point to slugs and snails, not water

How to water it

  • Keep the soil consistently moist with slow, deep watering
  • Water before the surface dries out in warm weather
  • Plant in part to full shade, protected from afternoon sun
  • Mulch to keep the soil cool and moist
  • Use it as a groundcover in shade or woodland gardens

Through the seasons

Water new plants often enough to keep the soil evenly moist. Established clumps still need steady moisture all season and protection from hot sun, since leaves scorch quickly in heat and dry soil. Flowers open in early spring and may continue into early summer. WUCOLS rates Siberian bugloss high water on the north-central coast, in the Central Valley and on the south coast. WUCOLS marks it as not suited to South Inland, and has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Siberian bugloss grows well in a wide pot in shade. Use a rich mix that holds moisture yet drains. Water when the surface starts to dry, until it drains through. In summer, check every day, since the big leaves lose water fast. Empty the saucer if water sits for long. Keep the pot out of afternoon sun. In winter, water only when the mix dries between rains.

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

Siberian Bugloss: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.60.641.24–––
Feb0.841.041.29–––
Mar1.391.741.84–––
Apr1.882.432.23–––
May2.333.322.58–––
Jun2.583.972.78–––
Jul2.584.273.17–––
Aug2.383.822.98–––
Sep1.982.882.38–––
Oct1.391.881.84–––
Nov0.740.891.34–––
Dec0.50.551.04–––
Year19.227.3824.8–––

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 Siberian bugloss. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

Japanese Sweet FlagAcorus gramineushigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRed GingerAlpinia purpuratahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyShell GingerAlpinia zerumbethigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyMarsh MarigoldCaltha palustrishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyUmbrella Sedge and PapyrusCyperus spp. (CA native and non-native species)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyUmbrella PlantDarmera peltata (Peltiphyllum)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyFoxgloveDigitalis purpurea cvshigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyLeopard PlantFarfugium japonicum cvs. (Ligularia tussilaginea cvs.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyTransvaal DaisyGerbera jamesonii & hybridshigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyGiant GunneraGunnera manicatahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyWhite Ginger LilyHedychium coronariumhigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyJapanese IrisIris ensatahigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyRushJuncus aquatic spp. (native and non-native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyCardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalis hybrids and cvs. (CA native and non-native spp.)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulyBananaMusa spp. (shade in low desert)high water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in JulySensitive FernOnoclea sensibilishigh water, Central Valley4.27 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

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

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
Minutes for your sprinklers

Turn this into minutes on your water days

Every city page has a calculator that takes Siberian bugloss, 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 Siberian bugloss in summer?

In July, established Siberian bugloss in loam needs a deep watering about every 3 days in the Central Valley and about every 5 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 Siberian bugloss need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Siberian bugloss needs about 0.4 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.7 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 Siberian bugloss change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Siberian bugloss separately for each of the six California climate zones: high water in the North-Central Coastal zone, high water in the Central Valley zone, high water 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.

Can Siberian bugloss take sun?

It prefers part to full shade with protection from afternoon sun. Leaves scorch in hot sun. Keep it shaded inland.

Why are my Siberian bugloss leaves brown?

Dry soil and hot sun scorch the leaves. Water more steadily and add shade. Mulch helps keep the soil cool.

Is Siberian bugloss deer resistant?

Yes, it is deer and rabbit resistant, probably because of its rough leaves. Slugs and snails may still feed on it. Check after rain.

When does Siberian bugloss bloom?

It blooms from early to mid spring and may continue into early summer. Tiny blue flowers sit on branched stems. Keep the soil moist during bloom.

How do I propagate Siberian bugloss?

It spreads by self-seeding and can be divided. Patented cultivars should not be propagated. Water divisions well.

More plant watering guides

Climbing HydrangeaSnowball HydrangeaLacecap HydrangeaJapanese IrisRushBrazilian Plume FlowerCardinal FlowerBanana

Sources