WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Ligustrum sinense 'Sunshine', WUCOLS IV

How often to water Sunshine Chinese privet in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Sunshine Chinese privet 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. Sunshine Chinese privet is a compact evergreen shrub, about 4 to 6 feet tall, with small oval leaves of bright chartreuse to golden yellow. Unlike most privets it is sterile and does not flower or set fruit, so it does not seed around. It grows in any well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade and takes shearing well.

ShrubRated for 2 of 6 zones

How often to water Sunshine Chinese privet, 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 Sunshine Chinese privet 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 3 inches down under the shrub in summer signals Sunshine Chinese privet needs water
  • Golden leaves scorching brown at the edges in hot inland sun can follow dry soil
  • Leaves dropping inside the shrub after a long dry spell can indicate drought stress
  • Yellowing that turns soft and dull over soggy soil points to overwatering

How to water it

  • Water under the shrub with drip or a soaker
  • Soak the root zone deeply, then wait until the upper few inches are dry
  • Plant in cool coastal sun or part shade inland, in well-drained soil
  • Give more water in full sun inland locations
  • Shear for a formal shape or leave it natural

Through the seasons

Give a young shrub steady water during its first summer in the ground. Established shrubs need little water near the coast, but in full sun inland they may need moderate water. It is evergreen and does not flower, so its golden foliage is the show all year. On the north-central coast, WUCOLS rates Sunshine Chinese privet low water. In the Central Valley it carries a moderate water rating. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the south coast, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.

In pots

Sunshine Chinese privet makes a bright container shrub that holds its color all year. Fill the pot with a mix that drains freely. Water once the upper couple of inches feel dry, and keep pouring until it runs out the bottom. In summer, check every few days, and more often in sun. Empty the saucer. Shear it to shape when it gets shaggy. In cool, wet winter weeks, feel the mix first, since rain may do the job.

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

Sunshine Chinese Privet: 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 Sunshine Chinese privet. 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 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 JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and 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 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 JulyButterfly BushBuddleja davidii and hybridsmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyRed BuckeyeAesculus paviamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWestern ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifoliamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

Rated lower than Sunshine Chinese privet 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 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 JulySagebrushArtemisia spp. (shrubby)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWild PrivetLigustrum vulgarelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCoralberrySymphoricarpos orbiculatus (SHADE)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySydney Golden WattleAcacia longifolialow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyBlue Leaf WattleAcacia salignalow 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 Sunshine Chinese privet, 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 Sunshine Chinese privet need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Sunshine Chinese privet 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 Sunshine Chinese privet change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Sunshine Chinese privet 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 evaluated 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 Sunshine Chinese privet invasive?

It is sterile and does not produce flowers or berries, so it does not seed around. That sets it apart from invasive privets. It stays where you plant it.

Does Sunshine Chinese privet need sun?

Its foliage turns more gold in sun or bright shade. Inland, part shade protects it from scorch. Near the coast it takes full sun.

Can I shear Sunshine Chinese privet?

Yes, it can be sheared for a formal look or left natural. It takes shearing well. Water after heavy pruning.

Is Sunshine Chinese privet poisonous?

It is listed as harmful if eaten. Keep pets from chewing it. Wear gloves when pruning.

How big does Sunshine Chinese privet get?

It is compact, roughly 4 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It suits low hedges and borders. Space plants to allow air flow.

More plant watering guides

White AshEuropean AshOregon AshFlowering AshGreen AshArizona AshFuchsiaHardy Fuchsia

Sources