Nandina domestica (Heavenly bamboo)

Other names: Sacred bamboo, Chinese sacred bamboo

ShootChecker™

STOP: Make sure you get the “Right Plant, Right Place.”

90% of plants die because they were the wrong plant choice. Shoot helps you to save valuable time and money to get the right plant choices for any garden.

Find out howHide details

How ShootChecker™ works

Get the Right Plant, Right Place

Provide details about your garden or your client's garden conditions

ShootChecker™ will help you assess if it is the right plant

Save money with Right Plant, Right Place.

Get started Book a demo

Other Shoot features

One-stop planning
Streamlined garden design and record-keeping all in one place

Monthly care advice
Receive tailored monthly care advice for plants in your garden

Present and collaborate
Share designs and care tasks with anyone

Join Shoot today to enjoy…

ShootChecker™
One-stop garden design
Monthly care advice for every plant in your garden
Saving money with Right Plant, Right Place

All you need to do is join.

Get started

Book a demo

Already a member? Sign in

Hide details

Add to plant list

1 of 7

Species

N. domestica is an upright, evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub with pinnate, dark green leaves divided into lance-shaped leaflets, reddish-purple when young and in winter. Conical panicles of star-shaped, white flowers with large, yellow anthers in summer are followed by spherical, bright red fruit.

Season of interest

Flower
	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Flower
Foliage
	Spring	Summer	Autumn	Winter
Foliage

Height and spread

Metric |
Imperial

Height and spread Metric \| Imperial
Size	Max height	Max spread	To maturity
2 m	1.5 m	10-20 years
6 ft	4 ft	10-20 years

Height and spread

Metric |
Imperial

Size

Max height

Max spread

To maturity

2 m

1.5 m

10-20 years

6 ft

4 ft

10-20 years

Where to grow

Soil

Soil type

Chalky
Clay
Loamy
Sandy

Soil drainage

Moist but well-drained

Soil pH

Acid
Alkaline
Neutral

Conditions

Sunlight

Full Sun

Aspect

East
West

Exposure

Sheltered

Check to see if this is the Right Plant, Right Place with ShootChecker™

Open ShootChecker™

Plant details

Additional plant details

Cultivation

Plant in moist but well-drained soil in a sheltered, sunny site.

Suggested uses

Banks and Slopes, Rock, Architectural, Beds and borders, Cottage/Informal, City, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance

UK hardiness

USDA zones

Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9

Sunset zone

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1, H2

WUCOLS

North-Central Coastal = Low
Central Valley = Low
South Coastal = Low
South Inland = Moderate/Medium
High and Intermediate Desert = Moderate/Medium
Low Desert = Moderate/Medium

Foliage

Evergreen

Habit

Upright

Native to

Japan, China

Drought tolerant

Yes

Flood tolerant

Toxicity

Not toxic

Plant care

Pruning and propagation

Pruning

Pruning group 9.

Propagation methods

Seed, Semi-hardwood cuttings

Propagation

Sow seed in a cold frame as soon as ripe.

Pests and diseases

Pests

Diseases

Monthly care advice

Prune evergreen shrubs lightly (only if needed)

Take semi-hardwood cuttings in late-summer

Plant container grown plants in a sunny sheltered spot

Take semi-ripe cuttings

Plant in moist but well-drained soil (autumn or spring)

Sow seeds in a cold frame in autumn

Other plants

Plants in this Genus (21)

Nandina

Select all Deselect all

0 selected Add to a plant list

0 selected

Nandina domestica Heavenly bamboo

Nandina domestica 'Richmond' Heavenly bamboo 'Richmond'

Nandina domestica 'Fire Power' Heavenly bamboo 'Fire Power'

Nandina domestica 'Obsessed' Heavenly bamboo 'Obsessed'

Nandina domestica 'Gulf Stream' Heavenly bamboo 'Gulf Stream'

Nandina domestica 'Plum Passion' Heavenly bamboo 'Plum Passion'

Nandina domestica 'Wood's Dwarf' Heavenly bamboo 'Wood's Dwarf'

Nandina domestica 'Harbour Dwarf' Heavenly bamboo 'Harbour Dwarf'

Nandina domestica 'Sunset' Heavenly bamboo 'Sunset'

Nandina domestica 'Lemon-Lime' Heavenly bamboo 'Lemon-Lime'

Nandina domestica 'Twilight' Heavenly bamboo 'Twilight'

Nandina domestica var. leucocarpa Yellow-fruited heavenly bamboo

Nandina domestica 'Sienna Sunrise' Heavenly bamboo 'Sienna Sunrise'

Nandina domestica 'Burgundy Wine' Heavenly bamboo 'Burgundy Wine'

Nandina domestica 'Brightlight' Heavenly bamboo 'Brightlight'

Nandina domestica 'Blush Pink' Heavenly bamboo 'Blush Pink'

Nandina domestica 'Flirt' Heavenly bamboo 'Flirt'

Nandina domestica 'Tuscan Flame' Heavenly bamboo 'Tuscan Flame'

Nandina domestica 'Red Light' Heavenly bamboo 'Red Light'

Nandina domestica 'Filamentosa' Heavenly bamboo 'Filamentosa'

Nandina domestica 'Moon Bay' Heavenly bamboo 'Moon Bay'

Companion plants (2)

Select all Deselect all

0 selected Add to a plant list

0 selected

Acer palmatum 'Peve Multicolor' Smooth japanese maple

Leycesteria formosa Himalayan honeysuckle

Related content

Discuss this plant

Re: Loss of colour

Shoot User

961 0

I'm guessing it's been planted there for a couple of years? They do like a dose of sun through the day; the happiest specimens I've planted have had at least a couple of hours a day; they are woodland edge dwellers in the wild.. you could try feeding it to encourage the berries to come as chalk soils are a little thin & low in nutrients; that should bring its colour back too!
Good luck!

Posted: Tuesday 19th of February 2013 08:36 AM

Loss of colour

Lou

961 1

Hello
My Nandina has grown rather tall and bushy but stayed almost green last year. While it is in chalky soil it is up against a wall north-west facing and gets light but not much sun. Is this the reason why it has lost its autumn shade colours please?

Lou

Posted: Monday 18th of February 2013 08:35 PM Last reply: Friday 28th of February 2025 08:56 PM

Re: Re: little colour foliage this year

Lou

690 0

Hi Kathy
Thanks for responding. The younger small one is in the front garden is SW facing, and the older one in the back garden facing NW. In the front garden I do water regularly in the dry season, also at the same time I water the back garden. In the back garden it is relatively sheltered near a wall and wouldn't say it gets a full 6 hours of sun. As said, it is over the past 18 months that the colour has disappeared. The smaller one was doing fine in colour and then I moved to another position and it began to lose its foliage, then stopped losing, then seems to remained at the same size and with very little colour.
Lou.

Posted: Wednesday 14th of November 2012 10:52 AM

Re: little colour foliage this year

Kathy N

690 1

Hi, Lou,
Are they planted in full sun? Sun is usually the key for Nandina colour. They need in minimum of 6 hours, better to have 8 hours of full sun each day. They tend to colour and fruit less in the UK. Other thought is the climate where you live. Though you will read/hear differing opinions, Nandina will dieback/suffer if too cold (above USDA zone 7a or 6b) but do like cool temps to produce the best colour. Also, they need regular moisture. Finally, have you spotted any pests? I don't think feeding is the problem - some cultivars won't turn red if fed.
Kathy C

Posted: Tuesday 13th of November 2012 05:41 PM

little colour foliage this year

Lou

690 1

I have two Nandinas, one in front and one in back garden. Back garden, in ground for nearly 4 years, has shown very little colour this year, and the front garden, just over a year, hardly any colour and no growth. Help please? Should I have fed them?
Thanks, Lou

Posted: Sunday 11th of November 2012 12:25 PM Last reply: Friday 28th of February 2025 09:44 PM

Re: sacred bamboo

Shoot User

1194 0

hi kathy and thanks for your advice.

i live in northumberland and this winter temperatures went down to -17 degrees, unheard of in my lifetime.

Posted: Sunday 30th of May 2010 10:18 PM Last reply: Sunday 30th of May 2010 10:51 PM