Common Name: Biological name: Type: Family: Zone: Height: Spread: Bloom Time: Bloom Description: Sun: Water: Maintenance: Flower: Leaf: Fruit: Other: Tolerate: |
heavenly bamboo Nandina domestica Broadleaf evergreen Berberidaceae 6 to 9 1.00 to 2.00 feet 2.00 to 3.00 feet May to June White with yellow anthers Full sun to part shade Medium Medium Showy Good Fall Showy Winter Interest Drought, Heavy Shade |
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Some tolerance for full shade, but foliage often grows best in sun with some afternoon shade. Tolerates a wide range of soils, but prefers moist humusy ones. Best with consistent watering. Best fruiting occurs when grown in groups. Single specimens may fruit poorly. This shrub is evergreen in the warm winter climates of USDA Zones 8-10. In zone 7 it is considered to be semi-evergreen to deciduous because plants will typically lose their foliage (becomes deciduous) as soon as winter temperatures dip below 10 F., with the stems sometimes dying to the ground. Plants are not reliably winter hardy in zone 7 and north, and if grown therein, should be sited in protected locations with organic winter mulches applied. Nandina domestica, commonly called heavenly bamboo, is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that is ornamentally grown for its interesting foliage and its often spectacular fruit display. It is native to Japan, China and India. This is a rhizomatous, upright, evergreen shrub that typically grows to 4-8’ tall and to 2-4’ wide. North of zone 7 it is semi-evergreen to deciduous, and typically grows shorter since the stems often will die to the ground in winter. Although it belongs to the Barberry family, it is commonly called heavenly bamboo because its erect, cane-like stems and compound leaves resemble bamboo. Tiny whitish flowers with yellow anthers appear in late spring in loose, erect, terminal clusters. Flowers are followed by sprays of spherical, two-seeded, red berries which persist from fall to spring, providing winter interest. |
Information on this page is from Missouri Botanical Gardens, Dave’s Garden, All things Plants, Texas Superstar or Aggie Horticulture |
This page last updated or reviewed [210802]