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Other Names:  Heavenly Bamboo

Description:

A colorful, open evergreen shrub; features interesting needle-like foliage that takes on red and orange highlights in higher sunlight; excellent in mass plantings for color and textural effect; great in containers, rock gardens and by reflecting pools

Ornamental Features

Threadleaf Dwarf Nandina has attractive bluish-green foliage edged in red with hints of orange on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. The tiny bipinnately compound needles are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding coppery-bronze in the fall, which persists throughout the winter. It has masses of beautiful panicles of white flowers rising above the foliage from late spring to early summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. The brick red stems are very effective and add winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Threadleaf Dwarf Nandina is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Threadleaf Dwarf Nandina is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Threadleaf Dwarf Nandina will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub performs well in both full sun and full shade. However, you may want to keep it away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Threadleaf Dwarf Nandina makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.