Nandina

Family. Berberidaceae.

Origin. East Asia.

Description. Nandina is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub up to 2 m high with vertical shoots. The leaves are glossy, compound - consist of 3 oblong, thin leaves, each 5 - 10 cm long, located on long petioles. There are a lot of leaf color options - from standard green to pink, yellow, red, beige, purple. Young leaves are often one color, while mature leaves take on a different shade, so the same plant can have leaves of different colors. In the fall, instead of losing their leaves, nandina often turns green. At the beginning of summer, large panicles appear on the bush - each up to 25 cm long, consisting of many small white flowers and rising above the foliage level. By early autumn, the flowers produce green berries that will turn bright red or white as they ripen. This species is an evergreen plant, however, at an ambient temperature of -10 ° C and below, the leaves may fall off. They will grow again in the spring.

Height. In nature, nandina reaches 2 m in height, but when grown indoors it takes on a more compact shape and its height is easily adjusted by pruning. It grows slowly.

Nandina care at home

Temperature conditions

During the growth period, the air temperature should be approximately 20° C, during the dormant period it is kept at a temperature of 14 - 16° C. It is not advisable to expose the plant to temperatures below 7° C.

Lighting

Proper lighting will help maintain attractive, vibrant leaf color. The plant can receive direct sunlight in the morning and evening for several hours a day, but it should be shaded on hot summer days. 

Care

Nandina is unpretentious and relatively easily adapts to various conditions. To maintain a neat shape, careful pruning is carried out at the end of winter or early spring; up to 1/3 of the shoots can be removed. Old and weak shoots are cut off at ground level. 

Substrate

Does not tolerate standing water, so the soil must have good drainage. A nutrient mixture based on peat with the addition of leaf humus and sand, with an acidic pH of 3.8 to 6.5, is suitable.

Feeding

During the growing season, they are fed with complex fertilizers every month. Loves organic fertilizers. 

Purpose

The most outstanding feature of this plant is its attractive, brightly colored foliage.

Flowering time

Early summer.

Air humidity

To increase humidity in the warm season, you can use a room humidifier or place the plant on a tray of water covered with a grill. Spraying is carried out preferably in the morning with water at room temperature. 

Soil moisture

The soil is kept evenly moist, but not swampy in the warm season, especially when growing young plants. Adult nandinas can tolerate short periods of drought. In autumn, reduce the frequency of watering and allow the soil to dry out between waterings. Softened water is used for irrigation. 

Transfer

Repot nandina before new growth begins, maintaining the planting depth. Since the plant develops slowly, repot every 2 years, slightly trimming the root system. Replace the top layer of soil with fresh soil every year for large tub specimens.

Reproduction

Nandina can be propagated by seeds, but this will take quite a long time, so propagation by stem cuttings is usually preferred. 

Pests and diseases

Plants can be bothered by insects such as spider mites and aphids.

Note

All parts of the tree are poisonous - keep it away from children and pets. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling nandina.