Nandina domestica – the sacred bamboo

I love Nandina, an evergreen shrub with bushy bamboo-like foliage that turns purple in spring and winter.  It works really hard for its place in the garden because it has something different to offer in each of the seasons. 

In the summer it produces large panicles of white flowers which are slightly scented, followed by orange-red berries that last for months.  This picture was taken this morning – the last of the white flowers…

Nandina prefer to be planted in a sheltered sunny spot but are not particularly fussy about the soil as long as it doesn’t get waterlogged.  They are great shrubs for small gardens because they are so well behaved.  With a maximum height and spread of 1.5m they’re unlikely to outgrow their space in the garden.  They need little or no pruning so are fabulous for  low-maintenance planting schemes although can be tidied up if required in mid-late spring.  I have 3 planted around my south-facing sitting area and they just look fabulous all year round, one of the best performing plants in my garden. 

These are the berries when they first appear…

Then they turn a gorgeous red, lasting well into winter…

One of the reasons I love them is that they just don’t really look like evergreen shrubs which often have robust shiny leaves.  The foliage looks soft and feathery bringing texture and contrast to the mixed border. 

Nandina domestica ‘Firepower’ is a dwarf variety which grows to a maximum height and spread of 5ocm – great for banks and slopes or low maintenance planting schemes.  They also look fabulous in pots if you want something to plant that will give all year interest.