WateringTimesWatering plan, $19
Salvia verticillata 'Purple Rain', WUCOLS IV

How often to water whorled clary in California

In July in the Central Valley, established whorled clary in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days: about 1.5 gallons each time for a plant 2 feet across, about 1.9 gallons a week. Whorled clary 'Purple Rain' is an upright, bushy salvia with lyre-shaped leaves. In summer, reddish stems carry long, dense spikes of small reddish purple flowers. The flowers come in separated whorls up the stem and draw bees. Give it full sun and soil that drains freely, and cut off faded spikes to keep it blooming.

PerennialRated for 4 of 6 zones

How often to water whorled clary, 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 whorled clary 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 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.

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

  • When the top 3 inches of soil beside the clump have dried in summer, whorled clary is ready for water
  • Leaves wilting in afternoon heat and staying limp by evening point to a dry root zone
  • Stems blackening at the base in soggy soil point to root rot from wet ground
  • White powder on the leaves is powdery mildew, which water at the roots will not fix
  • Fewer new spikes in late summer often just means faded spikes need cutting, not more water

How to water it

  • Aim water at the soil around whorled clary's crown so the foliage stays dry
  • Give a slow drink that reaches 8 inches down, and wait for the upper few inches to dry before the next
  • Choose a sunny, sheltered bed with sandy, chalky or loamy soil that drains freely
  • Use a thin gravel or bark mulch, kept off the crown
  • Widen the watered spot a little as the clump bulks up, and after dividing it in spring

Through the seasons

Water a new whorled clary regularly through its first summer while it roots in. Established clumps need soil checks through the summer bloom season, when flowering draws the most water. Cutting back faded spikes prolongs flowering into late summer. The foliage dies back in winter and regrows in spring. Winter rain covers the cool months on the coast and in the Central Valley in most years. In WUCOLS, whorled clary is moderate water across four zones: the north-central coast, the Central Valley, the south coast and South Inland. The high desert and the low desert are not evaluated.

In pots

A medium to large pot of gritty mix suits whorled clary, set where it gets full sun. In summer heat, feel the mix 2 inches down every few days and water once it is dry. Let the excess drain out and empty the saucer. Snip faded spikes to keep new ones coming. In winter the plant dies back, so water only enough to keep the roots from drying out completely.

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

Whorled Clary: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone

MonthN. CoastC. ValleyS. CoastS. InlandHi DesertLo Desert
Jan0.370.40.780.78––
Feb0.530.650.810.87––
Mar0.871.091.151.3––
Apr1.181.521.41.61––
May1.462.081.611.95––
Jun1.612.481.742.29––
Jul1.612.671.982.51––
Aug1.492.391.862.33––
Sep1.241.81.491.86––
Oct0.871.181.151.33––
Nov0.470.560.840.9––
Dec0.310.340.650.68––
Year1217.1115.518.41––

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 whorled clary. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.

DahliasDahlia spp.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyFernsNephrolepis cordifolia (SHADE IN DESERT)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyDayliliesHemerocallis spp. & cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBegoniasBegonia & ssp. & cvs. (shade in the desert)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCalla LiliesZantedeschia aethiopica SHADE IN DESERTmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySageSalvia officinalis and cvs.moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyBicolor MonkshoodAconitum cammarummoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGarden MonkshoodAconitum napellusmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyCarpet BugleAjuga reptans (shade)moderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySnowdrop WindflowerAnemone sylvestrismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain SandwortArenaria montanamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulySwamp MilkweedAsclepias incarnatamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyOrange MilkweedAsclepias tuberosamoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyGreater MasterwortAstrantia majormoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyHardy BegoniaBegonia grandismoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in JulyWax BegoniaBegonia semperflorensmoderate water, Central Valley2.67 gal/sq ft in July

Similar plants that need less water 16

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

AgapanthusAgapanthus orientalislow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyGeraniumsPelargonium x hortorum and cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySalviaSalvia greggii ssp., cvs. & hybridslow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyIrisesIris germanicalow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySucculentsEcheveria 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 JulyMountain AlyssumAlyssum montanumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilver SageSalvia argentealow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyPurple MulleinVerbascum phoeniceumlow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulySilvery YarrowAchillea clavennaelow water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyFern Leaf YarrowAchillea filipendulinalow 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 JulyPerennial HollyhockAlcea rosea cvs.low water, Central Valley1.07 gal/sq ft in JulyMountain Lady's MantleAlchemilla alpinalow 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 whorled clary, 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 whorled clary in summer?

In July, established whorled clary in loam needs a deep watering about every 5 days in the Central Valley, about every 7 days on the south coast and about every 6 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 whorled clary need per day?

In July in the Central Valley, established whorled clary 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 whorled clary change across California?

Yes. WUCOLS rates whorled clary 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, 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 whorled clary attract bees?

Yes. Its flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators. Water at the base so you are not spraying them while they work.

Should I deadhead whorled clary?

Yes. Cutting back faded flower spikes prolongs flowering. Keep the soil checked while new spikes form.

How do I propagate whorled clary?

Take basal cuttings in late spring or stem-tip cuttings in late summer or early autumn, or divide clumps in spring. Keep new plants evenly moist until they root.

What pests bother whorled clary?

Slugs, snails, aphids, leafhoppers and capsid bugs can damage young growth. Pest damage is a separate issue from watering, so check the soil before assuming a wilting plant needs water.

Can you overwater whorled clary?

Yes. It needs well-drained soil, and root rots can follow soggy ground. Let the top few inches dry between soakings.

More plant watering guides

Japanese Black PineCalifornia SycamoreLondon PlaneYew PinePink Trumpet VineWestern CottonwoodSpring CinquefoilOriental Bush Cherry

Sources