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Nandina domestica

(Heavenly Bamboo)

Overview

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Shrub , native to China and Japan, wood very hard, sacred to Chinese.

Interesting Facts

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Common Names

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Click on the language to view common names.

Common Names in Chinese:

Nan Tian Zhu

Common Names in English:

Heavenly Bamboo, Common Nandina, Heavenly-Bamboo, Nandina, Nanten, Sacred Bamboo, Sacred-Bamboo, Southern Heaven-Bamboo

Common Names in French:

Bambou Sacré De Chine, Nandine Commune

Common Names in German:

Gartennandine

Common Names in Italian:

Bambù Sacro Cinese, Nandina

Common Names in Japanese:

Nanten, Nanten Zoku

Common Names in Korean:

Nam Cheon, Namchn

Common Names in Latin:

Fructus Nandinae

Common Names in Portuguese:

Avenca-Japonêsa, Bambú-Celeste, Bambú-Do-Céu

Common Names in Russian:

Nandina Domashnaya

Description

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Family Berberidaceae

Herbs or shrubs [trees ], perennial , evergreen or deciduous, sometimes rhizomatous . Stems with or without spines. Leaves alternate, opposite, or fascicled, simple , 2-3-foliolate, or 1-3-pinnately or 2-3(-4) -ternately compound ; stipules present or absent; venation pinnate or palmate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary , racemes , cymes, umbels (or umbel-like), spikes, or panicles, or flowers solitary or in pairs, flowers pedicellate or sessile. Flowers bisexual , inconspicuous or showy, radially symmetric ; stipitate glands absent (except in Vancouveria ) ; sepaloid bracteoles 0-9; perianth sometimes absent ( Achlys ), more frequently present, 2- or 3-merous, or sepals and petals intergrading ( Nandis ) ; sepals 6, distinct , often petaloid and colored , not spurred ; petals 6-9, distinct, plane or hooded ; nectary present; stamens 6; anthers dehiscing by valves or longitudinal slits; ovary superior, apparently 1-carpellate; placentation marginal or appearing basal; style present or absent, sometimes persistent in fruit as beak . Fruits follicles, berries , or utricles. Seeds 1-50, sometimes arillate ; endosperm abundant; embryo large or small; mature seeds elevated on elongating stalk in Caulophyllum.

Genera 15, species ca. 650 (8 genera, 33 species in the flora ) : widespread, well represented in the north temperate zone.

Berberidaceae presents several interesting biogeographic features. Achlys is disjunct from western North America to east Asia with few morphologic differences between taxa. Diphylleia, Jeffersonia, and Podophyllum, each with a single eastern North American species, exhibit wide disjunctions to east Asia. Caulophyllum has three species, one in east Asia and two in the flora. Vancouveria is endemic to northwestern United States with nearest relations to Epimedium Linnaeus (H. Loconte and J. R. Estes 1989b; W. T. Stearn 1938), an exclusively Eastern Hemisphere genus.

Nandina, Berberis, Epimedium, and Podophyllum are cultivated.

The perianth of Berberidaceae is commonly composed of three distinct types of organs, but terminology for the organs varies from author to author. In our treatment, we refer to the small, outer parts as bracteoles (collectively forming a calyculus) ; the large, middle parts as sepals; and the innermost parts, which are commonly nectariferous , as petals. Some authors have referred to the bracteoles as outer sepals and to the petals as staminodes.[1]

Genus Nandina

Shrubs , evergreen , to ca. 2 m , glabrous . Rhizomes absent. Aerial stems monomorphic , mostly unbranched, with leaves densely clustered mostly along distal 1/3 of plant. Leaves persistent , alternate, 2-3-pinnately compound ; petiole attached at base of blade , petioles and petiolules swollen at base. Leaf blade broadly ovate in overall outline, 30-50 cm; leaflet blades elliptic to ovate to lanceolate, margins entire; venation pinnate. Inflorescences terminal or axillary panicles of dozens to hundreds of flowers. Flowers 3-merous, 5-7 mm; bracteoles present; all perianth parts caducous , cream to white; sepals and petals intergrading, 27-36; nectariferous petals absent; stamens 6; anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits; pollen exine punctate ; ovary club-shaped; placentation submarginal ; style central. Fruits berries , red to purplish, orbicular . Seeds 1-3, grayish or brownish; aril absent.

Species 1: North America, Asia.

Nandina is treated as a separate family , Nandinaceae, by A. Takhtajan (1986).[2]

Physical Description

Species Nandina domestica

Stems erect . Wood and pith bright yellow. Leaves frequently reddish tinged, 5-10 dm; petioles basally enlarged and clasping . Leaflets 9-81, nearly sessile, leaflet blades 4-11 1.5-3 cm, base cuneate, apex acuminate. Inflorescences with hundreds of flowers, 1-2 dm. Flowers fragrant, pedicellate ; perianth segments imbricate, weakly 2-4-seriate. Berries 6-9 mm. Seeds mostly 2. 2 n = 20. Flowering spring-summer (May-early Jul) ; fruiting summer-fall (Sep-Dec). [source]

Habit: Upright semi-deciduous shrub . • Growth Form: Multiple StemShape and Orientation: Erect

Flowers: White flowers in late spring . • Bloom Period: September. • Flower Color: near white, white • Flower Conspicuous: Star-shaped flowers in clusters

Seeds: Seed Spread Rate: Slow • Seedling Vigor: Low • Fruit: Red berries October through winter. • Fruit/Seed Abundance: High • Fruit/Seed Color: Red • Fruit/Seed Conspicuous: Yes • Cold Stratification Required: Yes

Foliage: Finely divided , pointedFoliage Shape: Lance-shaped • Foliage Color: Green • Normal foliage color: Green • Underside foliage: Green • Juvenile foliage: Bronze • Mature foliage: Green • New foliage: Bronze • Spring foliage: Bronze • Summer foliage: Green • Fall foliage: Red • Winter foliage: Red • Foliage Porosity Summer: Moderate • Foliage Porosity Winter: Moderate • Foliage Texture: Fine • Fall Conspicuous: No • Leaf Retention: Yes

Size/Age/Growth

Active Growth Period: Spring and Summer • Growth Rate: Moderate. • Mature Height (feet): 8.0 • Maximum Height at 20 Years (feet): 8 • Size: 4-8' tall, 4-6' wide. • Vegetative Spread Rate: Moderate • Lifespan: Lifespan

Landscaping

Care: Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system . Watering can be reduced after establishment. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring .

Habitat

Old home sites; woodlands, mesic flood plains , hammocks ; 0-600 m ; introduced ; Ala ., Ark., Fla., Ga., La., N.C., S.C., Tex.; native , Asia (Japan, China, India). [source]

Typically found at an altitude of 0 to 1,176 meters (0 to 3,858 feet).[3]

Biology

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Reproduction

Duration: PerennialCoppice Potential: No • Progagated by Bulbs: No • Propagated by Bare Root: Yes • Propagated by Container: Yes • Propagated by Corms: No • Propagated by Cuttings: Yes • Propagated by Seed: Yes • Propagated by Sod: No • Propagated by Sprigs: Yes • Propagated by Tubers: No • Fruit/Seed Period Begin: Summer • Fruit/Seed Period End: FallFruit/Seed Persistence: Yes

Growth

Culture: Space 4-6' apart.

Soil: Adapted to Medium Textured: Adapted to Medium Textured Soils • Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils: Yes • Anaerobic Tolerance: None • Salinity Tolerance: Low • CaCO3 Tolerance: Low • Minimum pH: 5.6 • Maximum pH: 7.5 • Fertility Requirement: High

Sunlight: Sun Exposure: Sun to part sun. • Shade Tolerance: Tolerant

Moisture: Drought Tolerance: Low • Minimum Precipitation: 35 • Maximum Precipitation: 55 • Moisture Use: High • Water Requirements: Once established needs only occasional water.

Temperature: Minimum Temperature (F): 2°F. • Minimum Frost Free Days: 165 • Heat Zones: High: 9 (>120 to 150 days) Low:1 (< 1 days) (map) • Cold Hardiness: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b. (map)

Taxonomy

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Notes

Publishing author : Thunb. Publication : Nov. Gen. Pl. [Thunberg] 1: 14. 1781; Fl. Jap. 147. 1784.

Name Status: Accepted Name .

Last scrutiny: 15-Mar-2000

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Nandina

ZipcodeZoo has pages for 28 species, subspecies, varieties, forms, and cultivars in this genus:

N. domestica (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica nana 'Firehouse' (Firehouse Dwarf Purple Nandina) · N. domestica var. Heavenly Bamboo (Heavenly Bamboo Nandina) · N. domestica var. leucocarpa (Yellow-Fruited Nandina) · N. domestica var. linearifolia (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Compacta' (Compact Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Filamentosa' (Dwarf Nandina) · N. domestica 'Firehouse' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Fire Power' (Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Gulf Stream' (Gulf Stream Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Harbor Belle' (Harbor Belle Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Harbour Dwarf' (Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Monfar' (Nandina) · N. domestica 'Monum' (Plum Passion® Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Moon Bay' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Moyers Red' (Dwarf Nandina) · N. domestica 'Nana Purpurea' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Okame' (Okame Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Plum Passion' (Plum Passion Nandina) · N. domestica 'Richmond' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Robinet' (Dwarf Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Royal Princess' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'San Gabriel' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Sienna Sunrise' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Umpqua Chief' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Umpqua Princess' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Umpqua Warrior' (Heavenly Bamboo) · N. domestica 'Woods Dwarf' (Dwarf Nandina)

More Info

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Further Reading

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Notes

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Contributors

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 14, 2007:

Identifiers

Footnotes

  1. Whetstone, R. David, T. A. Atkinson and Daniel D. Spaulding "Berberidaceae". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  2. R. David Whetstone, T.A. Atkinson & Daniel D. Spaulding "Nandina". in Flora of North America Vol. 3. Oxford University Press. Online at EFloras.org. [back]
  3. Mean = 134.180 meters (440.223 feet), Standard Deviation = 220.450 based on 73 observations. Altitude information for each observation from British Oceanographic Data Centre. [back]
Last Revised: 7/14/2012