How often to water wingthorn rose in California
In July on the north-central coast, established wingthorn rose in loam needs a deep watering about every 13 days: about 8.8 gallons each time for a plant 4 feet across, about 4.6 gallons a week. Wingthorn rose is a large, vigorous species rose from the Himalaya and western China, about 10 feet tall. Its bristly stems carry huge, hooked, translucent thorns that glow ruby red on young growth in sun. Small white single flowers with yellow stamens open in late spring and early summer, followed by orange-red, pear-shaped hips.
How often to water wingthorn rose, 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 1.5 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.
How to tell it needs water
- Soil dry 3 inches down under the canes in summer means wingthorn rose is ready for a soak
- Leaves drooping and young shoots wilting in afternoon heat can indicate thirst
- Hips shriveling before they color can follow a dry root zone
- Black spots or orange rust on leaves point to fungal disease rather than a water need
How to water it
- Water at the base with drip or a soaker, keeping leaves dry
- Soak about a foot down, then let the top few inches dry
- Plant in an open, sunny site in moderately fertile, humus-rich soil
- Give it room as a hedge or screen, away from paths
- Prune right after flowering, leaving spent flowers if you want hips
Through the seasons
Water a new rose regularly through its first summer. Established plants want moderate, deep soaks in dry months and moist but well-drained soil. It is deciduous, flowers in late spring and early summer, and then sets its orange-red hips, so skip deadheading if you want them. Deer and rabbits can damage young canes. On the north-central coast, WUCOLS rates wingthorn rose moderate water. WUCOLS has not evaluated it for the Central Valley, the south coast, South Inland, the high desert or the low desert.
In pots
Wingthorn rose is too large and thorny for most pots, but a young plant can grow in a big, heavy container in full sun for a few years. Use a rich, well-drained mix. Water when the top couple of inches are dry, soaking until water drains away. In summer, check every couple of days. Empty the saucer. Wear thick gloves when you handle it. In winter, while it is bare, water only when the mix dries.
- A year
- no figure
- Reference
- Sacramento climate table
- Counts
- Plant need, before sprinkler losses
WUCOLS lists Wingthorn Rose as not evaluated for the Central Valley zone, so no monthly figure is computed here.
Monthly water need by climate zone
Wingthorn Rose: gallons per square foot per month, by WUCOLS climate zone
| Month | N. Coast | C. Valley | S. Coast | S. Inland | Hi Desert | Lo Desert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.37 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Feb | 0.53 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Mar | 0.87 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Apr | 1.18 | – | – | – | – | – |
| May | 1.46 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Jun | 1.61 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Jul | 1.61 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Aug | 1.49 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Sep | 1.24 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Oct | 0.87 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Nov | 0.47 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Dec | 0.31 | – | – | – | – | – |
| Year | 12 | – | – | – | – | – |
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 not evaluated in the Central Valley, like wingthorn rose. Plants that drink alike can share one valve and one schedule.
Formosa Sugar PalmArenga englerinot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Chilean Feather BambooChusquea culeou (C. breviglumis)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
BlackbrushColeogyne ramosissimanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Glaucous Scorpion VetchCoronilla valentina glaucanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Willowleaf CotoneasterCotoneaster salicifoliusnot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Madagascar SagoCycas thouarsii (SHADE)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Irish HeathDaboecia cantabricanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Butterfly PalmDypsis lutescens (Areca)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Umbrella BambooFargesia murielaenot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Blue Fountain BambooFargesia nitida (Sinarundinaria nitida) (BAMBOO)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Prickly HeathGaultheria mucronata (Pernettya mucronata)not rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
OtterbossieGossypium harknessiinot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Box-leaved HollyIlex crenatanot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Bellyache BushJatropha gossypiifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Mountain LaurelKalmia latifolianot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley rating
Barbados CherryMalpighia glabranot rated, Central Valleyno Central Valley ratingTurn this into minutes on your water days
Every city page has a calculator that takes wingthorn rose, 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 wingthorn rose need per day?
In July on the north-central coast, established wingthorn rose needs about 0.7 gallons a day for a plant 4 feet across and about 2.6 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 wingthorn rose change across California?
Yes. WUCOLS rates wingthorn rose separately for each of the six California climate zones: moderate water in the North-Central Coastal zone, not evaluated 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.
Why does wingthorn rose have red thorns?
Its young thorns are large, translucent and ruby red. They glow when backlit by the sun. The color shows best on young, vigorous stems.
When should I prune wingthorn rose?
Prune right after the flowers fade. Do not deadhead if you want hips. Wear heavy gloves.
Can I eat wingthorn rose hips?
No, the hips are ornamental and not to be eaten. Keep pets from eating them. Enjoy them for color.
Can wingthorn rose grow in shade?
It tolerates shade and poor soil. It looks best in an open, sunny site where the thorns catch the light. Water a sunny site more often.
What diseases affect wingthorn rose?
Black spot, rust and powdery mildew can occur. Water the soil, not the leaves. Keep air moving around the canes.
More plant watering guides
Sources
- WUCOLS IV plant water use classification for Rosa sericea fo. pteracantha, 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