WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Parthenocissus quinquefolia ssp. & cvs., WUCOLS IV

How often to water Virginia creeper in California

In July in the Central Valley, established Virginia creeper in loam needs a deep watering about every 8 days: about 2.2 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.9 gallons a week. Virginia creeper is a fast, deciduous vine whose leaves of five leaflets turn red in fall, best in sun. It climbs by sticky disks at its tendril tips or runs across the ground as a cover. Established vines tolerate heat and short dry spells, yet it still counts as a moderate water plant.

Ground coverVineRated for 6 of 6 zones

How often to water Virginia creeper, 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 Virginia creeper 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

  • A trowel that finds dry soil 2 to 3 inches deep beside the main stem means the vine wants a deep soak
  • Leaves wilting on hot afternoons and staying limp into the evening point to dry roots
  • Leaf edges scorching brown on a sun-baked wall in summer point to a root zone that dried out
  • White powdery patches or leaf spots in humid weather are fungal problems, not signs of thirst
  • Yellowing leaves over soil that stays soggy point to poor drainage, even for this adaptable vine

How to water it

  • Water at the base of the vine, where the roots are, not along the length of the stems
  • Run the hose slowly until the ground is wet about a foot and a half down, then skip watering until the upper few inches dry
  • Plant in well drained soil of almost any type, in sun for the best red fall color
  • On a slope planted as ground cover, spread water across the whole patch with drip line or a soaker hose
  • Mulch the root area, and trim the vine back from gutters, shutters and wiring

Through the seasons

Water a new Virginia creeper regularly through its first summer while it roots and starts to climb. Established vines get by on deep, occasional soakings and tolerate short dry spells. Leaves unfold in spring, the vine grows fast through summer, and the foliage turns red in fall before dropping. Blue-black berries show after leaf fall. Winter rain covers the bare months on the coast and in the Central Valley, while desert vines need soil checks through dry winters. WUCOLS rates Virginia creeper moderate water in every zone, from the north-central coast and the Central Valley to South Inland and the low desert.

In pots

Virginia creeper can grow in a large container, trailing over the rim or climbing a trellis. Its fast growth soon fills a pot with roots, so check the mix 2 inches down every couple of days in summer heat. Pour slowly until water trickles out of the bottom, and tip out the saucer afterward. A container vine on a hot, sunny wall dries out fastest. Once the leaves fall, water the bare vine only when the mix is dry below the surface.

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

Virginia Creeper: 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 Virginia creeper. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

JasmineJasminum polyanthummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStar JasmineTrachelospermum jasminoides and cvs.moderate 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 JulyClematisClematis & ssp., hybrids & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyStrawberriesFragaria spp. & cvs. (CA native and non-natives species)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCarpet BugleAjuga reptans (shade)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGreen Supreme ManzanitaArctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Green Supreme'moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMassachusetts ManzanitaArctostaphylos uva-ursi 'Massachusetts'moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySerbian BellflowerCampanula poscharskyanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyEvergreen ClematisClematis armandiimoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBunchberryCornus canadensismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyKenilworth IvyCymbalaria muralismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWinter CreeperEuonymus fortunei radicansmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCranesbillGeranium spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

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

BougainvilleaBougainvillea & spp. & 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 JulyJunipersJuniperus 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 JulyFlowering WoodbineLonicera periclymenumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCalifornia Native YarrowAchillea millefolium (CA native cultivars)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyWoolly YarrowAchillea tomentosalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGround Morning GloryConvolvulus mauritanicuslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyRock CotoneasterCotoneaster horizontalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFleeceflowerFallopia baldschuanica (Polygonum aubertii)low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCarolina JessamineGelsemium sempervirenslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySouth African GeraniumPelargonium sidoideslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyLippia GroundcoverPhyla nodiflora (Lippia nodiflora) cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyCecile Brunner RoseRosa 'Cecile Brunner'low 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 Virginia creeper, 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 Virginia creeper in summer?

In July, established Virginia creeper 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 Virginia creeper need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established Virginia creeper needs about 0.3 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 1.1 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 Virginia creeper change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates Virginia creeper 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.

Are Virginia creeper berries poisonous?

Yes. The blue-black berries are poisonous to people and can be dangerous if eaten. Keep children away from them, especially after the leaves drop and the berries show.

Will Virginia creeper damage my house?

It can. The sticky disks cling to wood, shingles and paint and are hard to remove, and unchecked vines can damage gutters, shutters and wiring. Grow it on a sturdy trellis or fence instead.

Is Virginia creeper the same as poison ivy?

No. Virginia creeper has five leaflets per leaf, while poison ivy has three. Virginia creeper does not cause a skin rash, but its berries are poisonous.

Why didn't my Virginia creeper turn red this fall?

Shade is the usual reason, since the best red color comes in sun. Thinning overhanging branches or training the vine toward light helps the next fall.

Can Virginia creeper be a ground cover?

Yes. Without support, it runs across the ground and helps hold soil on slopes. Water the whole patch evenly rather than one spot at the crown.

More plant watering guides

Red BuckeyeRed HorsechestnutCarpet BugleItalian AlderBlack AlderWestern ServiceberrySnowdrop WindflowerNorfolk Island Pine

Sources