How often to water silver tree in California
In July on the north-central coast, established silver tree in loam needs a deep soak only about once a month or less: about 55 gallons each time under a 10 foot canopy. Silver tree is an upright evergreen tree from cool slopes of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa, with soft, silky, shimmering silver-gray leaves that densely cover its branches. It grows fast to 15 to 25 feet and is relatively short-lived, often about 20 years. Its winter to spring flowers are not showy but have a pleasant scent. It wants cool sun and well-drained soil.
How often to water silver tree, 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 under the branches, and skip a watering after a good soaking rain.
How to tell it needs water
- Dry, crumbly soil well below the surface around a young silver tree in summer means it can take a deep soak
- Yellowing leaves in soil that stays soggy point to root trouble
- Leaves dulling on a young tree in hot inland wind point to heat and drought stress
- Older branches spreading and turning irregular is normal aging
How to water it
- Soak a young tree slowly, then wait until the soil is dry well down
- Once established, water occasionally and never leave the ground soggy
- Give it cool coastal sun and well-drained soil
- Avoid rich soil and heavy fertilizer
- Plan for a replacement, since it is short-lived
Through the seasons
Give a young tree deep water through its first summers while roots grow. Established trees want only occasional deep soaks near the coast and soil that never stays wet. It stays evergreen, blooms quietly from winter into spring, and usually lives about 20 years. WUCOLS gives silver tree a low water rating along the north-central coast and on the south coast. The Central Valley, South Inland and both deserts are zones WUCOLS marks it as not suited to.
In pots
Silver tree can grow in a large container for a few years while young, showing off its shimmering leaves on a breezy patio. Use a lean, fast-draining mix. Water when the top few inches are dry, then let it drain completely. In summer, check every few days. Never leave water in the saucer. Keep the pot in cool sun. In winter, water only when the mix dries.
- A year
- no figure
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
WUCOLS lists Silver Tree as not suited to this region for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.
Monthly water need by climate zone
Silver Tree: 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 | – | 0.31 | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.21 | – | 0.32 | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.35 | – | 0.46 | – | – | – |
| Apr | 0.47 | – | 0.56 | – | – | – |
| May | 0.58 | – | 0.64 | – | – | – |
| Jun | 0.64 | – | 0.69 | – | – | – |
| Jul | 0.64 | – | 0.79 | – | – | – |
| Aug | 0.6 | – | 0.74 | – | – | – |
| Sep | 0.5 | – | 0.6 | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.35 | – | 0.46 | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.19 | – | 0.33 | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.12 | – | 0.26 | – | – | – |
| Year | 4.8 | – | 6.2 | – | – | – |
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 not suited to this region in the Central Valley, like silver tree. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
Sugar MapleAcer saccharumnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Queensland KauriAgathis robustanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
CherimoyaAnnona cherimolanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Purple Orchid TreeBauhinia variegata (purpurea)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
ToogBischofia javanicanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Clustered Fishtail PalmCaryota mitisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
White SapoteCasimiroa edulisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
FilbertCorylus maximanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Spotted GumCorymbia maculata (Eucalyptus maculata)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Dove TreeDavidia involucratanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Royal PoincianaDelonix regianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Triangle PalmDypsis decaryinot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Mountain White GumEucalyptus dalrympleananot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Rainbow EucalyptusEucalyptus degluptanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Roxburgh FigFicus auriculatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Indian BanyanFicus benghalensisnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes silver tree, 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 silver tree need per day?
In July on the north-central coast, established silver tree needs about 1.6 gallons a day under a 10 foot canopy and about 6.5 gallons a day under a 20 foot canopy. Give it in deep waterings spread days apart rather than a little every day, so the whole root zone gets wet.
Does watering for silver tree change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates silver tree separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, not suited to this region in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, not suited to this region 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.
How long does silver tree live?
It is relatively short-lived, about 20 years. It is most attractive when young. Plan for a replacement.
Where does silver tree grow best in California?
WUCOLS rates it only for the north-central coast and the south coast. It needs cool sun and good drainage. Inland heat does not suit it.
Why are silver tree leaves so shiny?
Soft, silky hairs make the leaves shimmer silver-gray. They feel soft to the touch. Wind shows off the shine.
Does silver tree flower?
Yes, from winter into spring, but the flowers are not showy. They have a pleasant aroma. Male and female plants are separate.
Can silver tree grow by the sea?
Yes, it tolerates seaside conditions. Cool coastal sun suits it. Keep the soil well drained.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Leucadendron argenteum, 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