UC Landscape Plant Irrigation Trials™

Research Revealing the Best Low-water Plants

Program Overview

UCLPITTM evaluates landscape plants in a 2-year trial under varying irrigation levels to determine the best level for optimal plant performance in regions requiring supplemental summer water.

Our data is one of the sources that may be used  to supplement The Water Use Classification of Landscape Species (WUCOLS) when creating water budgets required by California's Model Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance (MWELO). We use a scientific trialling method and share the results so you can make informed decisions when specifying, selecting, or promoting plant material.

Plant material is submitted by growers, breeders, and brokers to ensure the results reflect current needs  and plant availability for the landscape and nursery industry. Please visit the Contact Us tab if you would like to participate by entering plants or evaluating them at one of our Open House events.

Outcomes

• WUCOLS-compatible irrigation recommendations for end-user compliance with state landscape water regulations (MWELO).
• Unbiased, scientific plant performance evaluations critical  for new introductions.
• Showcase of the best performing low and moderate water use plants in the trials.
• Promotion of water-conserving landscapes through the use of high performing low-water use plants and the practice of hydrozoning (grouping plants by water need).

Some shots from our fields:

Fall Open Houses!

Fall 2024 UC Davis Open House Flyer

More information & plant list in the Open House page

If you would like to be notified of future open houses, join our list:
UCLPIT Open House List

Climate Ready Landscape Plant Trials

The UCLPIT program is a part of a multi-state research project to create network of plant trial sites in the Western US. Read more...

Project Support

Grant Funding

These trials exist because of generous funding from:

• California Association of Nurseries Endowment for Research and Scholarship (now Plant California Alliance)
• California Department of Food & Agriculture Specialty Crop Block Grant Program
• Elvenia J. Slosson Endowment Fund
• Horticultural Research Institute/ The AmericanHort Fund
• Saratoga Horticultural Research Endowment
• USDA Specialty Crop Multi-State Program

Industry Support

This project made possible through industry support from the following cooperators:

• Ball Ornamentals
• Bailey Nurseries
• Blooms of Bressingham
• Encore Azaleas
• Dig Plant Company
• Florasource
• High Country Gardens
• Hines Horticulture
• Kurapia Green Produce
• Mountain States Wholesale Nursery
• Newflora Roses
• Proven Winners
• Sunset Western Plant Collection
• Spring Meadow Nursery
• Star Roses and Plants
• Takao Nursery
• Tesselaar Plants
• University of Florida
• UC Davis Arboretum
• Village Nurseries

It takes a village...

The project could not have endured since 2005 without help from a multitude of people including Bridget Giffei, Shirley Alvarez, Cheryl Gartner, Grant Johnson, Dan Rivers, Casey Sullivan, and a host of other UC Davis and UC ANR interns, undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and volunteers.