Nandina ( Nandina domestica ) is an evergreen , ornamental landscape painting shrub with brightly colored leave and crimson cherry berries . Nandina bush go by the common gens of celestial bamboo , Chinese sacred bamboo , or sacred bamboo . Nandina is a low - growing shrub that is popular in gardens due to its bright red or pinkish foliage that beautify the scrub in the spring , fall , and wintertime .
Although nandina is democratic in many residential garden , its berry are poisonous to bird . to boot , it ’s considered invading in many areas . However , if you want to mature thisheavenly bambooin your M , you may choose from many nandina cultivar that do n’t produce flowers and fruit , therefore are dependable for growing in gardens , as well as non - invasive cultivars .
This clause is a guide to growing celestial bamboo in a front or backyard . You will also ascertain out how to fend off any takings with caring for the nandina ornamental shrub so that you’re able to revel its attractively colored leaves during bounce , spill , and wintertime .
Nandina (Nandina domestica) Facts
Nandina domestica ( heavenly bamboo ) shrub has red berry and summer green foliage before turning red in autumn
Nandina is anornamental garden shrubwith upright development . The attractive features of nandina are its bright red berries and colorful leaf . Nandina bushes bloom in spring , and new leave seem reddish - pink . summertime colors are green before the leaves turn red , and Berry seem in fall and persist through wintertime .
Nandina flourish in USDA zone 6 to 9 and grows undecomposed in full sun or partial shade . Usually , nandina shrub lose leaves when temperature drop to 10 ° F ( -12 ° C ) , and stem equipment casualty come at 5 ° F ( -15 ° C ) . However , the robust , hardy shrub usually recovers well .
Nandina domesticahas medium growth and matures between 6 and 8 foot . ( 1.8 – 2.4 m ) tall and up to 3 ft . ( 1 m ) wide . Nandina growth pace is between 12 ” and 24 ” ( 30 – 60 centimeter ) per year .
Due to its suckering nature , nandina can be a high - maintenance shrub that requires even pruning to prevent it from spreading too much .
One understanding nandina shrubs are popular in gardens is that they are adaptable to most conditions . Nandina grow well in most types of soils , survives drouth well , and is comparatively pest and disease resistant .
What Does Nandina Shrub Look Like?
Nandina shrubs have vertical growth habit
A nandina bush has upright , cane - same stem and narrow lanceolate leave that look like bamboo . Because nandina bush is native to Asia and looks like bamboo , it has common names like Chinese sanctified bamboo and heavenly bamboo .
From fall to spring , ruby-red leaves and bright red berries ornament the upright nandina shrub . During summertime , the shrub ’s foliation and berries are depart shades of super C .
Types of Nandina
There is only one metal money of nandina — Nandina domestica — in the genusNandina . However , several nandina cultivars are worthy of consideration .
The mintage nandina plant grows up to 7 foot . ( 2 m ) marvelous and 5 ft . ( 1.5 m ) encompassing . Its leaves are calendered green during summertime , but they are shades of reddish - purplish or dusty pink during gloam and winter . Bright red berry appear in the nightfall and persist throughout winter .
Some of the types of heavenly bamboo bush let in the following :
Nandina ‘Gulf Stream’
Thenandina ‘ Gulf Stream’is the most popular case of celestial bamboo growing in garden landscape painting . Theornamental evergreen plant shrubhas pinnate leaves , abundant crimson Berry , and clusters oftiny white flowers . The nandina ‘ Gulf Stream ’ foliage emerges a bronze - orange colour before turning light-green then nuance of red in the fall .
Nandina domestica ‘ Gulf Stream ’ is a little cultivar of nandina
‘ Gulf Stream ’ nandina shrub grow between 3 and 4 ft . ( 1 – 1.2 m ) tall and up to 5 ft . ( 1.5 m ) wide . The sunshine - loving bush grows well in landscapes as alow informal hedging , shrub margin , container garden , foundation planting , or specimen plant .
Nandina ‘Sienna Sunrise’
Nandina ‘ Sienna Sunrise’is a small ornamental shrub that has bright red leafage in spring and fall . The nandina ‘ Sienna Sunrise ’ grows 4 foot . ( 1.2 m ) tall and 2 foot . ( 0.6 m ) wide . This nandina shrub is desirable for compact gardens or containers . Because it does n’t make berries , it ’s secure if birds frequent your garden .
Nandina domestica ‘ Sienna Sunrise ’
Nandina domestica ‘Lemon Lime’
Nandina domestica‘Lemon Lime’is a gnome nandina shrub that has bright unripened foliage in spring and declension . This bush does n’t bloom or produce berry and grows up to 4 foot . ( 1.2 m ) tall .
Heavenly Bamboo ‘Moyers Red’
Heavenly Bamboo ‘ Moyers Red’is a semi - dwarf landscape painting nandina shrub , growing up to 6 foot . ( 1.8 m ) tall and 5 ft . ( 1.5 m ) wide . This nandina bush have clusters of pink flower and Mass of crimson red Charles Edward Berry . The greenish parting flex dark red in autumn .
Nandina domestica ‘ Moyers Red ’
Nandina ‘Flirt’
Nandina ‘ Flirt’is a low - produce mounding shrub suitable forground top in full Dominicus . The spectacular leafy foliage is dark purplish - red in saltation and summertime , turning to bright red in wintertime .
Nandina domestica ‘Fire Power’
Nandina domestica‘Fire Power’is a thickset evergreen bush with glossy lanceolate leaf . The pocket-size mounding nandina shrub has yellowy - green leaves in the summer that turn tender red and orange shades in the fall . Nandina ‘ Fire Power ’ shrub does n’t flower or produce berry . It grows up to 1.6 ft . ( 0.5 m ) tall and across-the-board .
Nandina domestica var. leucocarpa
Nandina domesticavar.leucocarpais a grandiloquent , non - trespassing nandina shrub that produces white-hot berries and has attractive pale green leaves . This is one of the nandina shrubs that close resembles the look of factual bamboo .
Nandina domestica ‘Otafukunanten’
Nandina domestica‘Otafukunanten’is a miniature nandina shrub that does n’t grow tall than 2 ft . ( 0.6 m ) . Its round , mounding maturation , beautiful pinkish - red shiny leaves , and deficiency of berries make this an attractive landscaping shrub .
Nandina domestica ‘ Otafukunante ’
Nandina ‘Plum Passion’
Nandina ‘ Plum Passion ’ is a nandina bush with reddish - regal foliage that decorate the erect stems in spring , fall , and winter . Clusters of small white flowers onthe shrub mature into vivid crimson Charles Edward Berry . Nandina ‘ Plum Passion ’ grows 4 to 6 ft . ( 1.2 – 1.8 m ) tall and up to 5 ft . ( 1.5 m ) broad .
Nandina domestica ‘ Plum Passion ’
Nandina domestica nana ‘Firehouse’
Nandina domesticanana ‘ Firehouse’is a dwarf nandina shrub with compact mounding growth and bright green foliage that turn red-faced in crepuscule and wintertime . grow to around 2 foot . ( 0.6 m ) magniloquent and wide . Nandina ‘ nana ’ shrub does n’t flower or produce berries .
Nandina domestica nana Firehouse
Nandina Bush Berries
Nandina Charles Edward Berry are venomous to birds but there are non - flowering cultivars that do n’t produce fruit
Most nandina shrub are know for clump of vibrantly color red berries growing in dangling bunches like grape . The red Charles Edward Berry appear in the tumble and run throughout winter , giving nandina bushes year - recollective cosmetic interest group . Berries can be so abundant that they almost cover the colourful evergreen leafage .
Nandina Domestica Flowers
Nandina flowers
Most nandina shrub produce clusters of small snowy or pinkish flower that blossom in May and June . The tiny blooms measure up to 0.5 ” ( 1.2 curium ) across and farm in clusters that measure 6 ” to 12 ” long ( 15 – 30 centimetre ) . Nandina Bush heyday good when rise in full sun , and the shrubs are group together .
Nandina Domestica Leaves
Nandina leaves
Leaves on nandina shrub are compound pinnate leaves made up of several lance - shaped leaflets . Each folder measures 1 ” to 3 ” ( 2.5 – 7 atomic number 96 ) long , and the chemical compound leaves can grow between 12 ” and 24 ” ( 30 – 60 centimetre ) long . The evergreen nandina folio usually issue red , turn green , and then deep red , imperial , or bronze in the declination .
Nandina Shrubs in Garden Landscapes
Thanks to its colorful foliage , heavenly bamboo brings plenty of ornamental value to a garden landscape . The shrub ’s beautiful leaf grain and vibrant year - long colors , along with big clusters of red berries , make it useful for add decorative value to a landscape .
Nandina shrubs rise well as an loose hedging , shrub perimeter , or group with evergreen plant shrubs . imbed it in groupings or hoi polloi planting to advance mint of bloom and berries to create the most encroachment . To add to your garden ’s aesthetics , you’re able to plant groups of nandina bush with different colored foliage .
For example , nandina ‘ Gulf Stream ’ is idealistic as a backdrop landscape gardening plant life . Its ever - change foliage colors , lily-white flowers , and violent Chuck Berry append plenty of interest to a landscape . Or you could prefer nandina ‘ Lemon Lime ’ for its chartreuse foliage .
Nandina Care
A nandina shrub is easy to care for in a garden landscape . Apart from pruning to remove sucker that dart up , nandina is adrought - tolerant plantthat thrives in most grime eccentric . The shrub - same bush thrives in full sun but will grow just as well in fond - shaded conditions .
allow ’s see in more point at how to grow this colorful ornamental shrub in your garden landscape .
Where to Grow Nandina Bushes
Nandina domestica shrub grow best in full sunshine
To grow nandina shrubs in your garden , prefer the cheery spot where it can enjoy full sun . Nandina cultivars like the ‘ Gulf Stream ’ can resist some tad . However , too much subtlety will affect anthesis , and the bamboo - corresponding cane can become sparse with footling foliage . In zones 9 and 10 , nandina welfare from some afternoon shade .
plant in full sunshine with some afternoon shade helps ensure your bamboo - like shrub develops vivacious leafage . Evergreen nandina shrub keep their leaves throughout wintertime . Some cold weather along with bright sunniness helps leave of absence rise tinges of scarlet color .
How to Grow Nandina Shrub
Nandina domesticacultivars are typically easy to grow in garden landscape to enjoy year - long people of colour . Ideally , it would be in effect to plant a nandina shrub in fat , moist soil that drains well . However , rich nandina plants adapt well to most soil types and even grow in inadequate precondition .
For optimal growth , it ’s a in effect thought to keep the ground well - watered but not soggy . This is especially honest during raging , desiccated conditions when rain is scarce . Even though nandina exist dry spell , its colorful leaf , flowers , and berry benefit from moist conditions .
The proficient way to guarantee healthy growth is to water the ground often enough to keep the root area moist . When the top bed of dirt is wholly dry , give the shrub bass tearing by drenching the footing . During wintertime , when emergence is dormant , you should water nandina less frequently .
by and large , urine celestial bamboo weekly if there is no rainfall for seven days . Otherwise , occasional rain should be enough to keep the ground moist . Some mulch around the radical base can also help lock in soil moisture .
A sign that a nandina bush needs watering is when the leaves start wilting or turn pale . Give the soil a thoroughgoing soaking to come to the bush and further it to grow well .
How to Fertilize Nandina
Nandina shrubs profit from applying fertilizer once a year in springtime . Apply a balanced , slow - discharge plant food to facilitate improve miserable soil . you may use a plant food worthy forrhododendronor evergreen plants . After applying the fertilizer , water the land good to prevent root burn .
However , it ’s not normally necessary to apply fertilizer to nandina plants if the soil is fertile .
When and How to Prune Nandina Shrub
you could prune nandina domestica bush to control its sizing at any metre of year
The most all important prospect of nandina care is proper pruning . you could lop nandina plant at any time of yr . Using sharp bridge player pruners , write out back former canes to the ground and prune other stalks to variegate peak to keep the bush ’s appearance instinctive .
If a nandina bush ’s ontogeny has gotten out of hand , you may lop stalks to one - third of their length every year for three years . This pruning technique helps to reconstruct vigor to neglected “ sacred bamboo ” plants .
To contract back on garden work , you could also plant summary nandina cultivars . Some landscaping nandinas that do n’t require pruning are ‘ Flirt , ’ ‘ Obsession Nandina , ’ and ‘ Blush Pink . ’
Transplanting Nandina
It is well-fixed to transfer nandina from container or grind up existing plants to transmit to another part of your garden . Nandina shrubs have overweight theme making them promiscuous to recover after transplanting .
The best clock time to plant a nandina in the ground is in the drop or winter when the weather condition is relatively cool .
If channelise nandina from containers to the ground , stab a hole big enough for the antecedent orb . Ensure that the flora grows at the same meridian as before and fill in the remaining space with fertile soil and water well . Put alayer of mulchover the soil to help keep the ground moist .
Propagating Nandina
you’re able to propagate nandina plant by softwood cuttings or dividing established plants
Nandina shrubs are easy to propagate from softwood cuttings .
All you require to do is cut a 6 - inch ( 15 centimetre ) distance of tender stalk in former summertime . Remove any leaves growing on the scurvy part and place the cutting in a pot containingpeat moss . Lightly water the soil and varnish the plant in a fictile handbag to increase humidity . Keep the ground moist until roots have form .
After a few weeks , you could transfer the take root cuttings to your garden or a larger container .
Another room to propagate nandina is to divide established plant that station out suckers . Once the sucker shoots have a stem system , you’re able to dig them out from the parent works and replant them in your garden .
Pests Affecting Nandina Growth
Nandina bush are comparatively resistive to pesterer . However , sap - sucking mealybugs and whitefly can pretend the bush ’s increase . mealybug front likewhite , bleary cotton - like growth under the foliation . Whitefliesalso lurk under the leaves , and you’re able to notice them flying if you escape from the stems . Untreated , these pests can cause leaves to reverse yellow and fall .
To extinguish pest from garden shrubs like nandina , it ’s best to use a strong jet of urine to dislodge the bugs . to boot , induce sure that develop consideration are optimal help nandina withstand mild pestilence plague .
Related reading : How to make a DIY neem oil pesticide spray .
Diseases Affecting Nandina Growth
Under idealistic shape , disease seldom affects nandina shrubs . However , wet issue with waterlogged soil or lack of air circulation can feign foliage and growth . normally , resolving trouble with lacrimation and humidity help to prevent further terms . It ’s good to take and demolish leafage or stem that show signs of disease .
For example , too much humidness and poor air circulation can causepowdery mildew — a clean powdery pith on farewell . Although not detrimental to the shrub ’s growth , it looks unsightly .
To nullify other fungous or bacterial diseases , it ’s vital to water the shrub suitably . Only water the land when the top stratum is dry . As with many shrub that grow in subtropical climates , Nandina domesticawithstands drouth better than overly soggy grease .
Is Nandina Toxic?
Nandina is poisonous to humans and fauna
Nandina domesticais poisonous to cats , dogs , and birds . TheASPCA saysthat heavenly bamboo check cyanogenetic glycosides . Animals ingesting the Charles Edward Berry or leaf can suffer vomiting , seizure , and respiratory nonstarter .
It ’s a just idea to head off planting nandina shrubs if pet or children play in the garden . Doctor of the Church saythat the ruby-red berries on this ornamental flora can cause gastrointestinal upset when eaten . Among the symptoms of eating nandina berry are vomiting , abdominal pain , diarrhea , and nausea .
Issues with Nandina Shrubs
The main offspring related to growing nandina bush is their invasive nature . Nandina spreads smartly by suckers , and their Berry easily fan out the semen . Nandina bush can form dull thicket that crowd out native plants . However you’re able to take non - invasive nandina cultivars such as ‘ Firepower ’ or nandina ‘ Obsession ’ .
Of course , if you have pets or tyke , the poisonous Charles Edward Berry could pose a health risk . In this case you’re able to choose a non - flowering cultivar that does n’t grow berry .
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