Gulf Stream nandina

Sun

Full sun to partial shade; foliage colours best with good light. Give afternoon shade in very hot climates.

Water

Water regularly during establishment, then during prolonged dry spells. Established plants tolerate some drought but not persistently wet roots.

Soil

Well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic and enriched with organic matter; tolerates clay if drainage is adequate.

Height

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Spread

3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m)

Foliage

Evergreen. Fine-textured, compound leaves with many pointed leaflets; bronze-orange young growth becomes green, with red or bronze winter colouring strongest in sunny positions.

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

   1.9 ft (0.58 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.2 ft (0.67 m)

4. After 3 years

   2.5 ft (0.75 m)

5. After 5 years

   3 ft (0.92 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 starts to dry during the first growing season.
• Apply 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Keep container drainage holes clear and water pots before the compost dries completely.
• Inspect around the clump annually and remove unwanted shoots.

Pruning. In late winter or early spring, remove dead or damaged stems and, if needed, cut a few of the oldest stems to ground level. Avoid shearing the top, which spoils the naturally layered foliage.

Spring

Plant in well-drained soil and water thoroughly; spring planting is safest near the cold limit.

Early spring

Remove winter-damaged stems and thin old stems only where necessary.

Late spring

Refresh mulch and feed lightly if growth is poor.

Summer

Check soil moisture during dry weather, especially for new plants and containers.

Autumn

Remove unwanted shoots and any fruit that develops, particularly where nandina is invasive.

Winter

Protect container roots during prolonged freezes and leave healthy foliage untrimmed.

• Repeat in small groups along a foundation or path for a consistent, fine-textured evergreen layer.
• Use with broad-leaved shrubs to contrast leaf shape and bring bronze-red colour into winter planting.
• Plant in a large, well-drained container as a compact foliage feature for a courtyard.
• Combine with sedges and low evergreen perennials at a lightly shaded woodland edge.

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

Plant it with: Japanese forest grass, Camellia, Azalea, Liriope, Hellebore and Japanese sedge.

Wildlife: This cultivar usually flowers and fruits little, so it offers limited nectar or fruit. Nandina berries contain cyanogenic compounds and have caused fatal poisoning in birds, especially cedar waxwings; remove any berries rather than encouraging birds to eat them.

• Yellow leaves with green veins: alkaline soil can restrict iron uptake; check soil pH and use chelated iron if needed rather than repeatedly feeding.
• Root rot or collapse: improve drainage, reduce watering and avoid planting in waterlogged soil.
• Brown or dropped leaves after frost: wait until spring growth begins, then remove dead tissue; use a more sheltered position in cold areas.
• Scale insects: inspect stems and leaf undersides; remove small infestations by hand or apply a labelled horticultural oil.

Toxic to cats, dogs, horses and people if eaten. Leaves, stems and especially berries contain cyanogenic compounds; substantial ingestion can cause serious or fatal poisoning. Keep clippings away from livestock and seek urgent medical or veterinary advice after suspected ingestion.

Where it spreads. Nandina domestica is invasive in parts of the southeastern and mid-Atlantic United States, including Florida, Georgia, Alabama, the Carolinas and Virginia. It is also naturalised and treated as an environmental weed in parts of eastern Australia, including New South Wales and Queensland. 'Gulf Stream' generally produces little or no fruit, but do not assume this eliminates all risk;

• Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)

  Typical plants are much taller and more open, with longer exposed canes and more frequent white flowers and red berries; 'Gulf Stream' stays compact and leafy.

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

  Usually lower and more rounded, with broader-looking leaflets and strong red winter colour; 'Gulf Stream' is generally taller with a finer, more upright outline.

• Clumping bamboo (Fargesia species)

  True bamboo has jointed canes and simple, narrow leaves; nandina has branching woody stems and compound leaves divided into many leaflets.

Nandina comes from the Japanese name nanten, while heavenly bamboo refers to the plant's bamboo-like stems and foliage.

Propagation. Take semi-ripe cuttings in summer to preserve the cultivar. Well-rooted outer shoots can sometimes be separated in spring; seedlings, if produced, will not reliably match the parent.

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.