Nandina domestica
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- nan-DEE-nah doh-MES-tih-kah
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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Nandina is a commonly cultivated ornamental upright evergreen shrub in the Berberidaceae (barberry) family known for its beautiful bright red berries. This Asian native is an aggressive grower with its network of rhizomatous stems that have a habit of suckering and reseeds itself readily. It naturalizes and establishes dense stands in forest habitats or disturbed sites especially in the piedmont and mountainous regions of North Carolina and is considered an invasive species in several states.
It has upright unbranched cane-like growth up to 6 to 8 feet tall, but can become leggy unless pruned. This plant flowers in the late spring and has ornamental fruits. It has reddish new growth and fall foliage that is not dependable on most cultivars and vary in one plant seasonally and annually. This plant has year-round visual interest.
Nandina can grow in full sun to shade and a range of soil types, but it prefers moist, well-drained, fertile soil. It is adaptable to extremes of soil and exposure and it relatively pest and disease free. It is drought tolerant, shade tolerant, slightly salt-tolerant, and particularly resistant to damage by deer.
Quick ID Hints:
- Terminal cluster of bright red berries
- Medium evergreen shrub with cane-like growth
- Decompound leaves, 1-2' long
- Reddish new growth and fall foliage
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Since this plant spreads very easily and it can become invasive in the landscape, please consider planting native plants or one of the dwarf cultivars that do not produce fruit. The leaves and berries are toxic to livestock and other domestic animals. Berries contain cyanide and when consumed in quantity can be toxic to birds.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Asian Garden- Japanese Four-Season Garden Back of House Planting Storage Cottage
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Alba'
- 'Atropurpurea Nana'
Upright, stiff compact form with yellowish-green leaves tinged reddish-purple throughout growing season, becoming red in winter.
'Fire Power'
- 'Flirt'
- 'Harbor Belle'
Dwarf, nearly fruitless, salt tolerant
'Harbor Dwarf'
- 'Lemon Lime'
Dwarf, gold leaves, nearly fruitless - 'Moon Bay'
salt tolerant - 'Nana'
Dwarf 1-2' tall almost no fruits. Leaves reduced to 3-9 leaflets. Foliage pinkish-red in winter. - 'Nana Purpurea'
Synonym for 'Atropurpurea Nana'
'Plum Passion'
- 'Sunray'
Cream-colored berries
Dwarf, almost no fruits, excellent red color leaves throughout winter
Compact dwarf shrub, nearly fruitless
Dwarf form, no fruits
New growth is deep purplish-red, deep green in summer and rich reddish-purple in fall and winter 'San Gabriel'
Very fine textured, grass-like foliage
Bright orange-red winter fruit 'Wood's Dwarf'
Ideal for beds and borders and for container growing too - 'Atropurpurea Nana'
- 'Alba', 'Atropurpurea Nana', 'Fire Power', 'Flirt', 'Gulf Stream', 'Harbor Belle', 'Harbor Dwarf', 'Lemon Lime', 'Moon Bay', 'Nana', 'Nana Purpurea', 'Plum Passion', 'San Gabriel', 'Sunray', 'Umpqua Chief', 'Wood's Dwarf'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
-
'Alba'
- 'Atropurpurea Nana'
Upright, stiff compact form with yellowish-green leaves tinged reddish-purple throughout growing season, becoming red in winter.
'Fire Power'
- 'Flirt'
- 'Harbor Belle'
Dwarf, nearly fruitless, salt tolerant
'Harbor Dwarf'
- 'Lemon Lime'
Dwarf, gold leaves, nearly fruitless - 'Moon Bay'
salt tolerant - 'Nana'
Dwarf 1-2' tall almost no fruits. Leaves reduced to 3-9 leaflets. Foliage pinkish-red in winter. - 'Nana Purpurea'
Synonym for 'Atropurpurea Nana'
'Plum Passion'
- 'Sunray'
Cream-colored berries
Dwarf, almost no fruits, excellent red color leaves throughout winter
Compact dwarf shrub, nearly fruitless
Dwarf form, no fruits
New growth is deep purplish-red, deep green in summer and rich reddish-purple in fall and winter 'San Gabriel'
Very fine textured, grass-like foliage
Bright orange-red winter fruit 'Wood's Dwarf'
Ideal for beds and borders and for container growing too - 'Atropurpurea Nana'
- 'Alba', 'Atropurpurea Nana', 'Fire Power', 'Flirt', 'Gulf Stream', 'Harbor Belle', 'Harbor Dwarf', 'Lemon Lime', 'Moon Bay', 'Nana', 'Nana Purpurea', 'Plum Passion', 'San Gabriel', 'Sunray', 'Umpqua Chief', 'Wood's Dwarf'
- Tags:
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-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Nandina
- Species:
- domestica
- Family:
- Berberidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- China and Japan
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds and small mammals eat the fruits.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Damage by deer.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9b, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- This plant produces bright red berries in terminal panicles in the fall that persist through the winter. They are less than an inch in size.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Petals:
- 2-3 rays/petals
- 4-5 petals/rays
- 6 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are white, 3-6 petaled, less than an inch in size, white, and they grow on an erect terminal of panicles between 10-12" long. Flowers have yellow conspicuous anthers. This plant blooms in late spring.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, bi- to tri-pinnately compound, evergreen, and 1-2' long. Leaflets are 1-3" long, elliptic-laceolate, entire, bluish-green, glabrous, changing to red-green in winter.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heavy Shade
- Salt
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
-
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- Low
- Poison Symptoms:
- CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. No cases reported in humans, but berries are possibly toxic to cats and some grazing animals as well as certain songbirds. Weakness, incoordination, seizures, coma, respiratory failure, death (rare in pets).
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycosides
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
