UAE plant tools
Plant watering calculator for UAE homes
In a 22–24°C air-conditioned UAE room, most indoor plants need water every 3 to 21 days, depending on the species, pot and light. On a summer balcony (May to September) the same pots dry out much faster, and thirsty species can need water every day or two. Whatever the calendar says, check the top 3 cm of soil first.
How the schedule is set:AC rooms use the middle of each plant's range; summer balconies use the shortest interval, because heat dries pots fastest.
Day 1 assumes you water everything today, then repeat.
107 plants match.
Your 4-week watering schedule
AC room (22–24°C) · from today
Pick up to 12 plants above and your calendar appears here.
Days between waterings: AC room vs summer balcony
Fifteen popular indoor plants. The same plant drinks noticeably more often once it is out in the summer heat.
- Snake Plant 'Laurentii': AC room every 14–21 days; summer balcony every 10–14 days.
- ZZ Plant: AC room every 14–21 days; summer balcony every 12–18 days.
- Aloe Vera: AC room every 14–21 days; summer balcony every 10–14 days.
- String of Hearts: AC room every 10–14 days; summer balcony every 8–12 days.
- Chinese Evergreen: AC room every 7–14 days; summer balcony every 6–10 days.
- Rubber Plant: AC room every 7–14 days; summer balcony every 6–10 days.
- Golden Pothos: AC room every 7–12 days; summer balcony every 5–8 days.
- Monstera Deliciosa: AC room every 7–12 days; summer balcony every 5–8 days.
- Fiddle Leaf Fig: AC room every 7–10 days; summer balcony every 5–8 days.
- Spider Plant: AC room every 7–10 days; summer balcony every 5–7 days.
- Orchid: AC room every 7–10 days; summer balcony every 5–7 days.
- Peace Lily: AC room every 5–7 days; summer balcony every 4–6 days.
- Areca Palm: AC room every 5–7 days; summer balcony every 3–5 days.
- Calathea Orbifolia: AC room every 5–7 days; summer balcony every 3–5 days.
- Boston Fern: AC room every 3–5 days; summer balcony every 2–4 days.
Four watering rules that are different in the UAE
AC air is dry, but AC soil stays wet
Air conditioning cools the room, which slows how quickly roots use water, and dries the air to roughly 30–40% humidity. The result is brown leaf tips over damp soil. Fix the air, not the watering: group plants together and keep them out of the vent stream.
Hard, alkaline tap water builds up
UAE tap water leaves minerals behind in the pot. Over months they show as a white crust on the soil and crisp leaf edges. Flush each pot with a long, slow watering about once a month, and use filtered water for sensitive plants such as calathea and ferns.
Water early in summer
Between May and September, water balcony and garden plants in the early morning, before the sun reaches the pots. Water given in the midday heat partly evaporates before the roots can use it, and evening watering leaves soil warm and wet overnight.
Drainage beats schedules
Every pot needs a drainage hole. Water until it runs out of the bottom, then empty the saucer. A plant standing in water in a cool AC room is the classic route to root rot.
Watering reference for 107 plants in the UAE
Days between waterings. Ranges, not promises: a bigger pot or a dimmer spot means longer gaps.
Indoor plants (29)
| Plant | AC room (22–24°C) | Summer balcony (May–Sep) | Summer balcony? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aloe VeraAloe barbadensis miller | Every 14–21 days | Every 10–14 days | Shade only |
| Arabian Jasmine (Sambac / Motia) — OutdoorJasminum sambac | Every 3–5 days | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Areca PalmDypsis lutescensCare guide | Every 5–7 days | Every 3–5 days | Shade only |
| Areca Palm — Outdoor 150cmDypsis lutescens | Every 4–6 days | Every 1–2 days | Shade only |
| Bamboo Palm - Privacy RectangleChamaedorea seifrizii | Every 5–8 days | Every 4–6 days | Shade only |
| Bird of Paradise - LargeStrelitzia nicolaiCare guide | Every 7–10 days | Every 4–7 days | Shade only |
| Boston FernNephrolepis exaltataCare guide | Every 3–5 days | Every 2–4 days | No |
| Calathea OrbifoliaGoeppertia orbifolia | Every 5–7 days | Every 3–5 days | No |
| Chinese EvergreenAglaonema commutatum | Every 7–14 days | Every 6–10 days | No |
| Cordyline Red (Ti Plant)Cordyline fruticosa | Every 4–6 days | Every 2–3 days | Shade only |
| Croton Outdoor (Codiaeum)Codiaeum variegatum | Every 5–7 days | Every 2–3 days | Shade only |
| Elephant Bush (Portulacaria afra)Portulacaria afraCare guide | Every 14–21 days | Every 10–14 days | Shade only |
| Euphorbia Cactus ColumnEuphorbia trigona | Every 14–21 days | Every 7–10 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ficus Panda — Standard 18LtrFicus microcarpa 'Panda' | Every 7–10 days | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Fiddle Leaf FigFicus lyrataCare guide | Every 7–10 days | Every 5–8 days | No |
| Gardenia (Cape Jasmine)Gardenia jasminoides | Every 3–4 days | Every 1–2 days | Shade only |
| Golden PothosEpipremnum aureumCare guide | Every 7–12 days | Every 5–8 days | Shade only |
| JasmineJasminum sambac | Every 4–6 days | Every 2–4 days | Shade only |
| Monstera DeliciosaMonstera deliciosaCare guide | Every 7–12 days | Every 5–8 days | No |
| OrchidPhalaenopsis hybridCare guide | Every 7–10 days | Every 5–7 days | No |
| Peace LilySpathiphyllum wallisiiCare guide | Every 5–7 days | Every 4–6 days | No |
| Red AnthuriumAnthurium andraeanum | Every 5–7 days | Every 4–6 days | No |
| Rubber PlantFicus elastica | Every 7–14 days | Every 6–10 days | Shade only |
| Sago Palm — Large 18LtrCycas revoluta | Every 10–14 days | Every 7–10 days | Shade only |
| Snake Plant 'Laurentii'Dracaena trifasciata 'Laurentii'Care guide | Every 14–21 days | Every 10–14 days | Shade only |
| Spider PlantChlorophytum comosum | Every 7–10 days | Every 5–7 days | Shade only |
| String of HeartsCeropegia woodiiCare guide | Every 10–14 days | Every 8–12 days | Shade only |
| Succulent 6-PackMixed Crassulaceae and Echeveria | Every 14–21 days | Every 7–12 days | Shade only |
| ZZ PlantZamioculcas zamiifoliaCare guide | Every 14–21 days | Every 12–18 days | No |
Outdoor and balcony plants (78)
| Plant | Summer, outdoors (May–Sep) | Summer balcony? |
|---|---|---|
| Agave (Blue Attenuata)Agave attenuata | Every 10–14 days | Yes, full sun |
| Alternanthera Green Tray — 6 PlantsAlternanthera ficoidea | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Bloodleaf (Iresine) Tray — 6 PlantsIresine herbstii | Every 1–2 days | Shade only |
| Bougainvillea 'Pink Pixie'Bougainvillea glabra 'Pixie' | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Bougainvillea BushBougainvillea glabra | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Bougainvillea Pillar — 180cmBougainvillea spectabilis | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Calamansi LimeCitrofortunella microcarpa | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Carissa (Natal Plum) Hedge — 5 PlantsCarissa macrocarpa | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Cedar TreeCupressus sempervirens | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Cherry Tomato PlantSolanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme | Every 1 days | Winter only (Oct-Apr) |
| Chinese Violet (Asystasia) Tray — 6 PlantsAsystasia gangetica | Every 2–3 days | Shade only |
| Copperpod / Yellow Flame (Peltophorum)Peltophorum pterocarpum | Every 3–5 days | No |
| Crape Jasmine (Tabernaemontana)Tabernaemontana divaricata | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Curry Leaf Tree (Murraya Koenigii)Murraya koenigii | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Damas Tree (Conocarpus)Conocarpus lancifolius | Every 3–5 days | No |
| Desert Rose — SpecimenAdenium obesum | Every 5–7 days | Yes, full sun |
| Desert Rose (Adenium)Adenium obesum | Every 7–10 days | Yes, full sun |
| Dwarf Date Palm — 150cmPhoenix roebelenii | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| EucalyptusEucalyptus gunniiCare guide | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ficus Nitida Ball — 120cmFicus microcarpa 'Nitida' | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ficus Nitida Hedge — 5 PlantsFicus microcarpa var. nitida | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Flame Tree (Delonix regia) — 30LtrDelonix regiaCare guide | Every 3–4 days | No |
| Flax Lily (Dianella) — 3 PlantsDianella tasmanica | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Foxtail Palm — 180cmWodyetia bifurcata | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Frangipani — Mature Specimen 200cmPlumeria rubra | Every 3–5 days | Yes, full sun |
| Frangipani (Plumeria)Plumeria rubra | Every 4–6 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ghaf Tree — UAE National TreeProsopis cineraria | Every 5–10 days | Yes, full sun |
| Golden Duranta Hedge — 5 PlantsDuranta erecta 'Gold Mound' | Every 2–3 days | Shade only |
| Golden Shower Tree (Cassia)Cassia fistula | Every 3–5 days | No |
| Golden Trumpet (Allamanda)Allamanda cathartica | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Guava Tree — 100cmPsidium guajava | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Herb 4-Pack — Mint, Basil, Rosemary, ParsleyMixed culinary herbs | Every 1–2 days | Winter only (Oct-Apr) |
| Hibiscus 'Red'Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Hibiscus Standard Tree — 120cmHibiscus rosa-sinensis | Every 1 days | Yes, full sun |
| Hong Kong Orchid Tree (Bauhinia)Bauhinia × blakeana | Every 3–4 days | No |
| Hopbush Hedge (Dodonaea viscosa) — 5 PlantsDodonaea viscosaCare guide | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ixora Chinensis RedIxora coccinea | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| LavenderLavandula angustifoliaCare guide | Every 3–5 days | Winter only (Oct-Apr) |
| Lemon Tree - XLCitrus × limon | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Lemon Tree (Omani) — 100cmCitrus limon | Every 1–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Mandevilla ClimberMandevilla sanderi | Every 1–2 days | Shade only |
| Mandevilla Tower — Trellised 30LtrMandevilla sanderi | Every 1–2 days | Shade only |
| Mango Tree — 120cmMangifera indica | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Marigold Tray — 6 PlantsTagetes patula | Every 1 days | Winter only (Oct-Apr) |
| Mediterranean Fan Palm — Multi-TrunkChamaerops humilis | Every 5–7 days | Yes, full sun |
| Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica) — 30LtrAzadirachta indicaCare guide | Every 5–7 days | No |
| Nerium OleanderNerium oleander | Every 3–5 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ornamental Fountain GrassPennisetum setaceum | Every 2–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Pentas & Lantana Colour PairPentas lanceolata + Lantana camara | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Peregrina (Jatropha integerrima)Jatropha integerrima | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Petunia Tray — 6 PlantsPetunia × atkinsiana | Every 1 days | Winter only (Oct-Apr) |
| Pink Trumpet Tree (Tabebuia) — 50LtrTabebuia rosea | Every 3–4 days | No |
| Plumbago 'Blue'Plumbago auriculata | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Pomegranate TreePunica granatum | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Portulaca Sun Jewels Tray — 6 PlantsPortulaca grandiflora 'Sun Jewels' | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Portulaca Tray — 6 PlantsPortulaca grandiflora | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Premium Olive Tree - XLOlea europaeaCare guide | Every 3–5 days | Yes, full sun |
| Pride of Barbados (Caesalpinia)Caesalpinia pulcherrima | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum Red)Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' | Every 5–7 days | Yes, full sun |
| Railroad Vine (Ipomoea) — 3 PlantsIpomoea pes-caprae | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Red PseuderanthemumPseuderanthemum atropurpureum | Every 2–3 days | Shade only |
| Ruellia Blue Tray — 6 PlantsRuellia simplexCare guide | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Ruellia White Tray — 6 PlantsRuellia simplex 'Alba' | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Sago Palm (Cycas Revoluta)Cycas revoluta | Every 5–8 days | Yes, full sun |
| Sea Hibiscus (Hibiscus tiliaceus)Hibiscus tiliaceus | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Sea Purslane (Sesuvium) Tray — 6 PlantsSesuvium portulacastrum | Every 5–7 days | Yes, full sun |
| Sidr Tree (Ziziphus)Ziziphus spina-christi | Every 5–10 days | Yes, full sun |
| Silver Damas Ball (Conocarpus)Conocarpus lancifolius 'Sericeus' | Every 3–5 days | Yes, full sun |
| Star Jasmine ClimberTrachelospermum jasminoides | Every 1–2 days | Shade only |
| Strawberry PlantFragaria × ananassa | Every 1 days | Winter only (Oct-Apr) |
| Tecoma / Cape HoneysuckleTecoma capensis | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Traveller's Palm (Ravenala) — 200cmRavenala madagascariensis | Every 1 days | Yes, full sun |
| Vinca Tray — 6 PlantsCatharanthus roseus | Every 1–2 days | Yes, full sun |
| Wedelia Ground Cover — 6 PlantsSphagneticola trilobata | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Wild Jasmine Hedge (Clerodendrum) — 5 PlantsClerodendrum inerme | Every 2–3 days | Yes, full sun |
| Yellow Bells Tree (Tecoma stans) — 30LtrTecoma stans | Every 3–4 days | Yes, full sun |
| Yellow Oleander (Thevetia)Cascabela thevetia | Every 4–6 days | Yes, full sun |
| Yucca Rostrata — 120cmYucca rostrata | Every 5–8 days | Yes, full sun |
Outdoor plants are not grown in AC rooms, so they have no AC column. Always check the soil before watering.
How we built this
Every number comes from the Heavenly Plants UAE Plant Index: per-species watering ranges written for two UAE conditions, a 22–24°C air-conditioned room at roughly 30–40% humidity, and a bright balcony or garden between May and September. Ranges are horticultural guidance for the species, not measurements of your pot. The calculator turns one range into a calendar (midpoint for AC, lower bound for summer) and assumes you water everything on the start date. Last updated .
Watering questions from UAE plant owners
- How many days apart should I water houseplants in a Dubai AC room?
- It depends on the plant, but the gaps are longer than most people expect. In a 22–24°C air-conditioned room, snake plants and ZZ plants typically go 14–21 days between waterings, pothos and monstera around 7–12 days, and peace lilies and calatheas 5–7 days. Treat these as ranges and push a finger 3 cm into the soil before you water.
- How often do potted plants on a UAE balcony need water between May and September?
- Far more often than indoors. Heat, sun and wind dry a pot quickly, so many flowering shrubs and herbs need water every 1–3 days in peak summer, and small pots on a sunny balcony can need it daily. Hardy succulents and desert plants still stretch to a week or more. Water early in the morning and check the soil each time.
- What does overwatering look like on a plant kept in an AC room?
- Yellowing lower leaves, soil that stays damp for days, a sour smell from the pot, fungus gnats, and stems that turn soft or dark near the soil line. Cool AC rooms slow how fast roots use water, so a plant watered on a weekly habit can sit wet for a long time. Let the top few centimetres dry before the next drink.
- Why does this calculator use the shortest interval for summer and the middle for AC rooms?
- On a summer balcony the risk is a pot drying out completely, so the schedule leans to the thirsty end of the range. In an air-conditioned room the bigger risk is overwatering, so it uses the middle of the range. Either way the calendar is a reminder to check the soil, not an instruction to water regardless.
- Should I still water on the scheduled day if the soil feels damp?
- No. Skip it and check again in two or three days. Pot size, light and how close the plant sits to an AC vent all change how fast soil dries, so the calendar can only be a starting point. Damp soil 3 cm down means the roots still have water.