Blush Pink nandina

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; morning sun and afternoon shade are useful in hot climates. Heavy shade reduces pink and red colouring.

Water

Water regularly during establishment; once rooted, water during prolonged dry spells. Keep container plants from drying out completely.

Soil

Well-drained soil with moderate fertility, preferably slightly acidic to neutral; avoid waterlogged ground.

Height

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Spread

2-3 ft (0.6-0.9 m)

Foliage

Evergreen. Fine-textured, compound leaves with pink young growth, green mature foliage and pink to red winter colouring; colour varies with light and temperature.

Growth

Slow to moderate

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Heat tolerant
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.8 ft (0.54 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.9 ft (0.58 m)

4. After 3 years

   2 ft (0.62 m)

5. After 5 years

   2.3 ft (0.69 m)

About 7 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Toxic

Invasive in

the US and Australia

Growth rate

Slow

• Water deeply when the root zone begins to dry during the first growing season.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of mulch over the roots, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Apply a light dressing of balanced, slow-release fertiliser in spring only if growth is weak or the soil is poor.
• Use a container with drainage holes and check its moisture frequently in warm weather.
• Shelter from drying winter winds near the cold end of its range.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead or frost-damaged stems once damage is clear. Little shaping is needed; if it becomes congested, remove a few of the oldest stems at ground level rather than shearing the foliage.

Spring

Plant into workable, well-drained soil and water thoroughly.

Spring

Refresh mulch and feed lightly if needed.

Summer

Check soil moisture during dry spells, especially in pots and newly planted beds.

Autumn

Water during dry weather before winter; avoid feeding or pruning to encourage soft new growth.

Winter

Protect container roots from prolonged freezing in colder regions and check that drainage remains clear.

Late winter

Remove dead stems and thin crowded growth sparingly.

• Plant in small groups along a path for a low, fine-textured edge with seasonal colour.
• Use beneath taller, open-canopied shrubs where filtered light reaches the foliage.
• Pair with dark-leaved heucheras and green sedges to contrast leaf colour and texture.
• Grow in a drained courtyard container for year-round foliage without regular clipping.

Garden styles it suits: Japanese, Modern courtyard, Small-space, Low-maintenance, Winter interest and Traditional.

Plant it with: Japanese maple, Camellia, Heuchera, Japanese forest grass, Liriope and Autumn fern.

Wildlife: Normally flowerless and fruitless, so it offers little nectar or fruit for wildlife. Nandina berries, if present, can poison birds and should not be treated as a wildlife food source.

• Root rot in saturated soil: improve drainage or move the plant to a raised bed; do not keep the root zone constantly wet.
• Leaf scorch in intense sun or drying wind: provide afternoon shade and water deeply during dry periods.
• Winter leaf loss or stem dieback: shelter exposed plants and remove dead wood in spring after new growth reveals surviving stems.
• Scale insects: inspect stems and leaf undersides; remove small infestations by hand or use a labelled horticultural oil as directed.

Toxic to cats, dogs, horses and people if eaten. Leaves, stems and especially berries contain cyanogenic compounds; substantial ingestion can cause serious or potentially fatal poisoning. This cultivar normally has no berries, but its foliage is not safe to eat.

Where it spreads. The species is invasive in parts of the southeastern United States, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama and the Carolinas, and has naturalised in parts of eastern Australia, including New South Wales and Queensland. Blush Pink normally does not flower or set seed, greatly reducing seed spread, but check local restrictions because they may apply to all Nandina domestica cultivars.

• Fire Power nandina (Nandina domestica 'Fire Power')

  Another compact nandina, but its new growth is usually lime green rather than distinctly pink, with stronger red colouring mainly in cool weather.

• Standard heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)

  Usually grows much taller with more obvious upright canes and commonly produces white flowers followed by red berries.

Nandina comes from the Japanese name nanten, while heavenly bamboo refers to the bamboo-like stems and finely divided leaves, although the plant is not a true bamboo.

Propagation. Named plants are reproduced vegetatively, usually from cuttings, to retain their characteristics. This cultivar has been sold under plant protection; check current propagation rights in your country before taking cuttings.

Accepted botanical name

Nandina domestica

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states and Pacific Basin.

Native range

China North-Central, China South-Central and China Southeast.

Measured

Soil pH 4.5 to 6. Average height 244 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.