WUCOLS Update: September 2023

Attention all horticultural professionals and garden enthusiasts! The Department of Water Resources (DWR) has partnered with the UC Davis California Center for Urban Horticulture     to update a free, online database that helps users find plants suitable for their region. With approximately 50 percent of urban water use going towards outdoor landscapes, this database will help residents adopt climate-ready landscapes that promote smart water use and help our natural pollinators thrive.   

The Water Use Classification of Landscape Species database offers water use data for more than 3,500 plants and helps users find the perfect plants for their water needs. Using the Water Use Classification of Landscape Species database, users can search for plants by region, water requirement, and plant type. Thanks to funding from DWR, the database will receive updates later this fall when it is the perfect time to plant and   will improve the user experience as California continues to embrace water conservation as a way of life.

“We’re   excited to support an update to a great resource offered by UC Davis and the California Center for Urban Horticulture,” said Ryan Bailey, DWR Water Use Efficiency branch manager. “This update means the general public and our industry professionals will have the necessary information to make water-wise decisions that improve water conservation while planting a beautiful landscape.”

With California’s new climate reality involving frequent swings between extreme drought, flooding, and everything in between, smart water use – indoors and outdoors – continues to be important rain or shine. The Water Use Classification of Landscape Species database can help Californians make more informed decisions about their landscape and the types of plants they select based on local conditions.

“It has been almost 10 years since the last review and update to the Water Use Classification of Landscape Species database, database, and we are eager to begin the process of adding another 1,700 plant groups.” Said Dr. David Fujino, executive director for the California Center for Urban Horticulture. “We appreciate the support of the Department of Water Resources and the participation of the horticultural industry to provide this timely update.”

In addition to new plant entries, the updated database will include improved search functions allowing users to interact with maps to identify areas of interest, find results faster, create a “favorite” plant list, and download hi-resolution photos of low water use plants. The updated database is expected to launch in November 2024. Until then, users can use the existing Water Use Classification of Landscape Species database, information at https://ccuh.ucdavis.edu/wucols.

For more information on water use efficiency updates, visit DWR’s Water Use Efficiency webpage. For water conservation tips, visit saveourwater.com.

About WUCOLS: 

Water conservation is an essential consideration in the design and management of California landscapes. Effective strategies that increase water use efficiency must be identified and implemented. One key strategy when landscaping is to group plants with similar water requirements.  By supplying only the amount of water needed to maintain landscape health and appearance, unnecessary applications that exceed plant needs can be avoided. Doing so, however, requires some knowledge of plant water needs.  The WUCOLS searchable database allows you to create your “favorite” plant list by water needs (very low, low, moderate and high) for your climatic region.

WUCOLS IV provides evaluations of the irrigation water needs for over 3,500 taxa (taxonomic plant groups) used in California landscapes. It is based on the observations and extensive field experience of thirty-six landscape horticulturists (see the section "Regional Committees") and provides guidance in the selection and care of landscape plants relative to their water needs.

Current Update: The 4th Edition (2014)

The 4th edition (Costello, L.R. and K.S. Jones. 2014. WUCOLS IV: Water Use Classification of Landscape Species. California Center for Urban Horticulture, University of California, Davis.  http://ucanr.edu/sites/WUCOLS/) represents a substantial expansion in the number of plant evaluations. Over 1,500 entries have been added to the 3rd edition list, for a total of 3,546 entries. Essentially, the great majority of taxa available from wholesale nurseries in California are included.

Unlike the 3rd edition, the 4th edition includes evaluations of many cultivars and hybrids. For a number of species (e.g., Ceanothus spp.), water needs of cultivars were thought to be sufficiently different than water needs of the species and were evaluated separately. In addition, a number of cultivars do not have a specific epithet, such as Erysimum ‘Bowles Mauve’, and the species from which it is selected is not obvious. Hence, only the cultivar could be listed.

In addition, a number of species evaluations made in previous editions were revisited by the regional committees. If the committees believed that the evaluation of plant water needs should be changed (raised or lowered), it was changed. In some cases, a “?” was replaced by VL, L, M, or H (see the section “Categories of Water Needs”). As a result, users should be aware that species assignments from WUCOLS I, II, or III may not be the same as those found in WUCOLS IV.