WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Trachelospermum jasminoides and cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water star jasmine in California

In July in the Central Valley, established star jasmine 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. Star jasmine climbs or spreads as an evergreen groundcover, carrying glossy leaves and fragrant white flowers in spring with some summer repeat. It needs moisture across its rooted area without a soggy stem base. A dense mat can hide dry soil, so check beneath the foliage before watering.

Ground coverShrubVineRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water star jasmine, 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 star jasmine 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 2 to 3 inches down beneath star jasmine signals that its rooted area needs a moisture check
  • Glossy leaves still dull and limp in the morning can indicate thirst when soil beneath the vine is dry
  • Winter bronzing can be normal, but crisp brown shoot tips after freezing can indicate cold injury rather than thirst
  • Yellowing leaves dropping over persistently damp soil can indicate poor drainage
  • Stalled buds and new leaves during flowering can accompany a dry root zone

How to water it

  • Water soil outward from a climbing vine while keeping its stem base dry, and cover the full rooted spread of groundcover
  • Run drip tubing beneath the dense foliage so water reaches the soil
  • Soak 12 to 18 inches down, then let the upper soil dry before repeating irrigation
  • Spread wood-chip mulch over exposed root areas while leaving stem bases clear
  • Loosen a broad bed before planting in clay and set plants slightly high to keep water from pooling around roots

Through the seasons

Keep a new star jasmine root ball and nearby soil evenly moist through its first summer, widening coverage as roots spread. Established vines and groundcovers need deeper soakings over their expanding rooted area. Star jasmine retains leaves through winter, though growth and moisture use slow. Irrigation matters from spring through early fall, with closer checks during summer heat. Coastal and Central Valley rain can supply winter moisture; check both deserts through dry winter spells. WUCOLS rates star jasmine moderate water in all six climate zones.

In pots

A trellised star jasmine catches wind above a limited pot of mix, so check the top couple of inches often in California summer heat. Water when that layer dries, soaking until excess leaves the drainage holes. Empty the saucer so the rooted vine does not sit above trapped water. A sheltered position can slow drying compared with an exposed trellis. In winter, let the mix dry deeper between soakings and keep the container out of standing rainwater.

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
0.761.52.33.00.4JAN0.65FEB1.09MAR1.52APR2.08MAY2.48JUN2.67JUL2.39AUG1.8SEP1.18OCT0.56NOV0.34DEC0.761.52.33.00.4JFM1.52AMJ2.67JAS1.18OND
Gallons per square foot per month, Central Valley. Peak 2.67 in Jul, 17.11 a year.

Monthly water need by climate zone

Star Jasmine: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.780.740.78
Feb0.530.650.810.870.930.93
Mar0.871.091.151.31.461.52
Apr1.181.521.41.611.891.95
May1.462.081.611.952.392.45
Jun1.612.481.742.292.852.79
Jul1.612.671.982.513.042.85
Aug1.492.391.862.332.792.6
Sep1.241.81.491.862.142.08
Oct0.871.181.151.331.461.49
Nov0.470.560.840.90.930.96
Dec0.310.340.650.680.650.68
Year1217.1115.518.4121.2721.08

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 star jasmine. 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 JulyJasmineJasminum polyanthummoderate 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 JulyHoneysuckleLonicera japonicamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyIvyHedera helixmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGrapevinesVitis vinifera ssp. & 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 JulyClematisClematis & ssp., hybrids & cvs.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 July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than star jasmine 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 JulyWisteriaWisteria spp. & 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 JulyYarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)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 JulyFlowering WoodbineLonicera periclymenumlow 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 star jasmine, 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 star jasmine in summer?

In July, established star jasmine 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 star jasmine need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established star jasmine 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 star jasmine change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates star jasmine 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, moderate water in the High and Intermediate Desert zone, moderate water in the Low Desert zone. The monthly table above shows how the same rating translates into different gallon amounts as reference evapotranspiration changes.

How do I water newly planted star jasmine?

Feel the original root ball because it can dry faster than adjacent soil. Slow early growth alone does not mean the vine needs more water. Soak the ball and surrounding bed when needed, expanding coverage as runners extend.

Can star jasmine recover after drying out?

Soak dry soil slowly so moisture reaches the roots, then keep checking without leaving it soggy. Wait for surviving stems to show new growth before cutting brittle, leafless wood. Recovery is not necessarily immediate after the first watering.

Why is my star jasmine brown underneath?

Shaded older leaves can collect beneath a dense green mat as it thickens. This alone does not establish overwatering. Check the soil and inspect any brown patches spreading into living growth before changing irrigation.

Is confederate jasmine the same plant?

Yes. Confederate jasmine and Chinese star jasmine are common names for Trachelospermum jasminoides. Asian star jasmine is a different plant, so do not automatically transfer these ratings to it.

Why are my star jasmine leaves yellow?

Check soil moisture and the affected leaves before treating yellowing as thirst. Young leaves with green veins can indicate iron shortage in alkaline soil. Wet ground or cold winter conditions can also contribute, so address soil conditions before adding more water.

More plant watering guides

CannasClematisLilacsSpireaButterfly BushStrawberriesSageAmur Maple

Sources