How often to water voodoo lily in California
In July in the Central Valley, established voodoo lily in loam needs a deep soak only about once a month or less: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across. Voodoo lily, also called dragon arum, grows from a tuber. Its fingered leaves stand on purple-spotted stems up to about 5 feet tall. In late spring a huge, dark purple flower opens with a smell like rotting meat that draws flies. The plant dies down after flowering and wants soil that dries out in summer.
How often to water voodoo lily, 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 around the stems while leaves are expanding in spring signals that voodoo lily needs water
- Leaves drooping before the flower opens can indicate the spring growing soil has dried
- Leaves yellowing after bloom are the normal die-down, not a sign of thirst
- A soft, rotting tuber or stems collapsing at the base in wet summer soil point to overwatering
How to water it
- Water the clump in spring while leaves are up and through flowering
- Soak several inches down, then let the top couple of inches dry before the next soak
- Plant tubers about 6 inches deep in humus-rich soil that drains well
- Stop watering once the leaves die down, and keep summer sprinklers away
- Leave room for offsets, which slowly widen the clump
Through the seasons
Voodoo lily grows in cool, moist months and rests through dry ones. Leaves grow through spring, the flower opens in late spring or early summer, and the plant dies down after flowering. Water matters only during that growing window, and the tuber wants dry soil in summer. A dry winter mulch helps in colder spots. WUCOLS rates voodoo lily low water on the north-central coast, on the south coast and in South Inland. It rates very low water in the Central Valley. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Voodoo lily can grow in a deep pot of rich, well-drained mix, which also lets you move the smelly flower away from doors. Check the mix while leaves are growing and water when the top inch is dry. Water until it drains, then empty the saucer. After the leaves die down, stop watering and set the pot in a dry spot for summer. Resume when new shoots appear.
- A year
- 1.71 gal per sq ft
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
Monthly water need by climate zone
Voodoo Lily: 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 | 0.04 | 0.31 | 0.31 | – | – |
| Feb | 0.21 | 0.07 | 0.32 | 0.35 | – | – |
| Mar | 0.35 | 0.11 | 0.46 | 0.52 | – | – |
| Apr | 0.47 | 0.15 | 0.56 | 0.64 | – | – |
| May | 0.58 | 0.21 | 0.64 | 0.78 | – | – |
| Jun | 0.64 | 0.25 | 0.69 | 0.92 | – | – |
| Jul | 0.64 | 0.27 | 0.79 | 1 | – | – |
| Aug | 0.6 | 0.24 | 0.74 | 0.93 | – | – |
| Sep | 0.5 | 0.18 | 0.6 | 0.74 | – | – |
| Oct | 0.35 | 0.12 | 0.46 | 0.53 | – | – |
| Nov | 0.19 | 0.06 | 0.33 | 0.36 | – | – |
| Dec | 0.12 | 0.03 | 0.26 | 0.27 | – | – |
| Year | 4.8 | 1.71 | 6.2 | 7.37 | – | – |
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 6
Rated very low water in the Central Valley, like voodoo lily. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
AgaveAgave americana (and thick-leaved relatives)very low water, Central Valley0.27 gal/sq ft in July
California PoppyEschscholzia californicavery low water, Central Valley0.27 gal/sq ft in July
Cypress SpurgeEuphorbia cyparissiasvery low water, Central Valley0.27 gal/sq ft in July
California ButtercupRanunculus californicusvery low water, Central Valley0.27 gal/sq ft in July
Italian ArumArum italicumvery low water, Central Valley0.27 gal/sq ft in July
Fox Tail AgaveAgave attenuata (and thin-leaved relatives)very low water, Central Valley0.27 gal/sq ft in JulyTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes voodoo lily, 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 voodoo lily in summer?
In July, established voodoo lily in loam needs a deep watering about once a month or less in the Central Valley, about every 18 days on the south coast and about every 14 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 voodoo lily need per day?
In July in the Central Valley, established voodoo lily needs about 0.0 gallons a day for a plant 2 feet across and about 0.1 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 voodoo lily change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates voodoo lily separately for each of the six California climate zones: low water in the North-Central Coastal zone, very low water in the Central Valley zone, low water in the South Coastal zone, low water 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.
Why does my voodoo lily smell so bad?
The flower smells like rotting meat to attract flies and beetles that pollinate it. The odor fades as the flower withers after a day or so. Plant it away from windows, doors and seating.
Why did my voodoo lily die after flowering?
It did not die. The plant naturally dies down after it flowers. Leave the tuber in place and keep it dry until new shoots appear.
Are voodoo lily berries safe?
The berries mature to red-orange and draw birds. The plant is a problem for dogs and cats, so keep pets away from it. Wear gloves when you handle the tubers.
How do I divide voodoo lily?
Separate offsets from the main tuber in autumn or spring. Replant them about 6 inches deep in well-drained soil. Water lightly until shoots appear.
Does voodoo lily need shade?
It grows best in full sun but tolerates partial shade. A spot at the base of a sunny wall suits it. Shade slows drying, so check the soil before watering.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Dracunculus vulgaris, 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