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Nandina Domestica

LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
in Plants
Hello (yet again, you lot will be sick of me soon!)

Last year I took a trip to Wisley and on the walls round liked the look of this Nandina Domestica. On the way out I picked one up at the shop. They had a couple of varieties, so I googled them and picked one. Can't for the life of me remember which one 


I planted it when I got home in the passion below, on the north side of this fence. It's still pretty small. I was looking it up again to make sure all was ok, should I do anything etc and RHS seems to suggest it needs full sun and will only grow to about 70-100cm, not at all what I had in mind.



So my question is, did I pick up the wrong plant, ie did I read the wrong label at Wisley? The plant in the top picture is tall and growing in shade (the reason I bought it) yet the plant info online tells me different.

I'm a bit confused!

Thanks!
I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
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Posts

  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    From what I’ve read it can be planted in full sun or partial shade, I have just bought one and will be planting in full morning sun then it will be in part shade for the rest of the day. This is the plant label it came with.



    Hope this helps. 
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    There are dwarf ones such as Nandina domestica Gulf stream/ Fire Power /Lemon Lime.etc.
    Then there is the taller one as per your pic which is Nandina domestica./Nandina domestica Richmond.etc
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    edited February 2021
    Yours will get that big, but it takes around ten years. It should be fine where it is and will send up more canes over time. It will increase more rapidly if sufficiently fed and watered--fertilising with bonemeal in autumn and a good shrub fertiliser in spring. It looks to be in somewhat poor soil, so a generous mulch every spring would do it a power of good.

    Also, well done for spotting how much nicer the large and graceful forms are than the little dumpy things they use in municipal planting...
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    Wisley’s one looks like the plain species Nandina Domestica and I think yours may be too. I have a short hedge of it, which has grown around 70cm in height since November 2018, to 170cm, and having filled out considerably, they now form a good multi-stemmed barrier. I suspect they grow quicker here as they are usually described as slow-growing. Most of the cultivars like Gulf Stream and Obsession are shorter and bushier. Mine grow equally well in full sun or partial shade. The advantage of sun is they colour up much better in autumn, with shades of red, orange and purple. 

    From airy beginnings:


    To much fuller coverage:

    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    Thanks everyone!! 

    I had a brainwave and dig around for the pot:



    I'll leave it where it is then and give it a good mulch and feed. Is rotted manure ok? Or home made compost? Or rotted bark? 
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    Glad you found the plant pot it came with and are assured that yours will eventually be like the one in your photo. 
    I’m quite happy with my shorter dumpy one and looking forward to the lovely  colours of the new growth. 
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • LatimerLatimer Posts: 1,068
    @Bright star I'm actually tempted to pick up a couple of the "dumpy" ones for containers on the patio. They have really lovely leaves.
    I’ve no idea what I’m doing. 
  • NollieNollie Posts: 7,529
    I have a few dumpy ones too!  ‘Obsession’ is much maligned, but it has it’s uses - I inherited this one, growing in a sliver of alkaline clay soil in a crack in a stone wall. Never watered, no idea how it survives:


    I’m struggling to see points of difference between your ‘Richmond’ and my ordinary Sp. ND, except the former it’s said to be self-fertile. Mine is certainly vigorous with big bunches of berries:, so hopefully yours will be too.

    Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    edited February 2021
    I think they seem happier in dappled/part shade; they look 'woodlandy' to me. I had taken against them after seeing so many sickly looking specimens of 'Firepower' on housing estates, but fell for the wild-looking straight species in the cloister at the Garden Museum.

    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • Silver surferSilver surfer Posts: 4,719
    edited February 2021
    Quote www.

    "Nandina domestica Richmond or Heavenly Bamboo is an elegant garden accent plant which will provide you with year-round beauty. ... Unlike other nandina domestica cultivars, Richmond is self-fertile, so you only need to plant one to get the bright red berries that add so much to the winter appearance of this evergreen."

    I love them....see pic below
    1 -3.   Nandina domestica Fire Power. 3. is a mature clump. in the autumn./dwarf.
    4 - 9.  Nandina domestica Richmond./tall.
    Perthshire. SCOTLAND .
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