How often to water tunic flower in California
In July in the Central Valley, established tunic flower in loam needs a deep watering about every 14 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 0.8 gallons a week. Tunic flower is a low, mat-forming alpine perennial with narrow, grasslike leaves. Airy sprays of tiny white or pale pink flowers rise on thin stems from late spring through summer. It looks a little like baby's breath and spills nicely over walls and steps. It wants poor, well-drained soil in full sun and is drought resistant once established.
How often to water tunic flower, 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 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.
How to tell it needs water
- Soil dry 2 inches down under the mat in summer signals tunic flower can take a soak
- Thin flower stems drooping and the mat looking flat in heat can indicate thirst
- Flowers fading quickly in a dry spell during bloom can follow a dry root zone
- Brown, rotting patches in the mat where water lingers point to poor drainage
How to water it
- Water around the mat with a gentle spray or low drip
- Wet the soil 4 to 6 inches down, then let it dry before the next soak
- Plant in poor to moderately fertile, sandy or gravelly soil in full sun
- Use it to edge paths, fill wall crevices or soften steps
- Cut back after flowering for a second flush and fewer seedlings
Through the seasons
Water a new plant lightly until it settles, then let the soil dry between soaks. Established mats are drought resistant and need little summer water. Flowers start in late spring and continue for months, and cutting back after the first flush brings a second round. It self-sows readily. The narrow leaves stay evergreen in mild areas. In the Central Valley, WUCOLS rates tunic flower low water. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the north-central coast, the south coast, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Tunic flower suits a shallow trough or wall pot of gritty, fast-draining mix in full sun. A thin layer of mix dries quickly, so in summer check it every few days and water when the top inch is dry. Let the excess drain freely and keep the saucer empty. Shear after the first bloom to bring on more flowers. In winter, water rarely and keep the pot out of standing rain.
- A year
- 6.84 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Tunic Flower: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | – | 0.16 | – | – | – | – |
| Feb | – | 0.26 | – | – | – | – |
| Mar | – | 0.43 | – | – | – | – |
| Apr | – | 0.61 | – | – | – | – |
| May | – | 0.83 | – | – | – | – |
| Jun | – | 0.99 | – | – | – | – |
| Jul | – | 1.07 | – | – | – | – |
| Aug | – | 0.95 | – | – | – | – |
| Sep | – | 0.72 | – | – | – | – |
| Oct | – | 0.47 | – | – | – | – |
| Nov | – | 0.22 | – | – | – | – |
| Dec | – | 0.14 | – | – | – | – |
| Year | – | 6.84 | – | – | – | – |
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 tunic flower. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
GeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and 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
IrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
SucculentsEcheveria 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
YarrowAchillea millefolium (non-native hybrids)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Silver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Purple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Silvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Fern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
California Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Woolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Perennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in July
Mountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes tunic flower, 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 tunic flower need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established tunic flower needs about 0.1 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.4 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 tunic flower change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates tunic flower separately for each of the six California climate zones: not evaluated in the North-Central Coastal zone, low 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.
Does tunic flower self-seed?
Yes, it self-sows readily and sometimes aggressively. Shear spent flowers to cut down on seedlings. Pull extras while small.
How do I get tunic flower to rebloom?
Cut it back after the first flush of flowers. A second round usually follows. Keep the soil from drying out completely while it regrows.
Is tunic flower related to baby's breath?
Yes, it was once grouped with baby's breath and looks similar. Its flowers resemble small pinks.
What pests bother tunic flower?
Slugs and snails may feed on it. It is generally disease free. Check at night in damp spells.
Can tunic flower grow on a green roof?
Yes, it is suggested for green roofs, gravel gardens and rock gardens. Shallow, fast-draining soil suits it. Water lightly until established.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Petrorhagia saxifraga, 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