Why does KURAS not give litres or irrigation amounts?
Actual water use depends on many factors KURAS does not know, such as soil, maintenance, the irrigation system and the size and age of the plant. KURAS therefore compares the plants of the same project relative to each other: which needs less water and which needs more.
What do the drops mean?
The five drops show the plant’s summer (May–September) water stress at the selected location: very low, low, moderate, high, very high. The same plant can receive more drops in a dry province and fewer in a wet one.
What does “No data” mean?
It means that no reliable source was found for this plant. It does not mean a low water need or a safe winter.
How should I read the “Sources differ” warning?
The sources report different values for this plant. KURAS chooses a result or a range with fixed rules; you can see the rationale of the choice and all source values in the detail panel.
What is the difference between choosing a province and choosing a location on the map?
When you choose a province, the climate of the provincial centre is used. If your project lies in a different climate from the provincial centre (e.g. an upland rather than the coast), choosing your project site on the map gives a more accurate result.
What is the irrigation zone (hydrozone) suggestion for?
Below the results, the plants are divided into low, moderate and high water-need groups according to their water need at this location. Plants in the same group can share an irrigation line. The grouping is by water only; assess light, soil and design compatibility separately. See the xeriscape guide for details.
Why is my cultivar’s result the same as its species?
When no cultivar-specific source is found, a cultivar takes the source values of its own species; the detail panel says so. Cultivars usually have the same water need as their species; variegated or golden-leaved cultivars may be somewhat more sensitive to winter cold.
Why do seasonal flowers show a high winter risk?
Winter suitability is computed on the assumption that the plant spends the winter outdoors. If you plant begonias, coleus and similar plants for a single season only, the winter risk does not affect your result.
I cannot find my plant. What should I do?
Search by the scientific name (genus and species); single-letter typos are recognised. You can still add a plant that is not found; no data are shown for that row. English common names are not yet supported.
Why do I need an account for more than 10 plants?
Long lists put more load on the server; a free account prevents abuse. Only an e-mail address and a password are required, your plant lists are not stored in your account, and you can delete your account at any time.
Is my plant list saved?
No. Your Excel/CSV file is opened in your browser; only plant names, quantities and the location are sent to the server for analysis, and they are not stored. Only the names of plants for which no data were found are counted anonymously, to close data gaps.
Are the results an official approval?
No. KURAS is a decision support tool; it is not a Ministry approval, a certificate or a site guarantee.