The most oriental and the most watercolor, repainted several times a year, the beauty of Nandina is not an irresistible and capricious star for everyone. It is one of the most adorable indoor shrubs. Everything in nandina is beautiful: huge feathery leaves, and unbranched shoots, and inflorescences, and even bright berries. But the love of coolness and a humid environment is not in vain that frightens off even experienced florists from it. In bonsai or bush form, nandina is an exclusive highlight of the collection. But it is worth buying it only when you are sure that you can provide such a valuable species with everything you need.
Nandina is an indoor shrub with character. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Plants Management Australia
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Description of the plant
One of the main stars of the subtropical climate and a bright symbol of the landscape art of Japan and China nandina home (Nandina domestica) Is a plant that we are just beginning to look at. This is an amazing shrub from the Barberry family – evergreen, slender, lacy and strikingly colorful.
Watercolor transformations of nandines and their unusual appearance are one of the most original accents for the interior. But the love of fresh air requires placement for the summer on the balcony or in the garden, which makes the nandina rather not an indoor plant, but a garden-indoor or tub plant. The nickname of the sacred bamboo introduces some confusion, because in fact the plant has nothing to do with bamboos.
Actively releasing root shoots, nandina surprises with reed, unbranched shoots, at the ends of which numerous leaves are collected. Slender, slender shoots are accentuated by an interesting bark that changes purple “young” shades to a gray furrowed pattern. The maximum height of indoor bushes is 1 m, but usually only dwarf varieties and bonsai are distributed. Superficial roots require judicious choice of the shape of the container.
The graceful leaves of nandine adorn with strikingly long petioles up to 15 cm, which play a significant role in the airy, lacy perception of the crown. Three or twice pinnate, up to 40 cm and more in length, with rhombic lobes and a pointed apex, the leaves of the shrub in summer are painted in a special shade of green. Young leaves are pinkish-reddish. Repainting in green and vice versa – in red – occurs gradually in the fall. The transformation of the bush can be watched endlessly. Varieties should be chosen according to leaf shades and size.
Nandina inflorescences are no less graceful than greens. Apical panicles up to 30 cm long with small flowers seem to be living lace. Unfortunately, nandina blooms for only a few weeks in June, but it is unforgettable.
Nandina berries are centimeter spheres of fruit with a pointed tip, gradually turning red unevenly. The fruit is toxic to pets.
Nandina domestica. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com SC EDEM
Growing conditions for room nandine
It is not by chance that this plant is considered a greenhouse exotic. Only those who have the opportunity to organize a cool winter for her can afford nadina.
Lighting and placement
The light-loving nature of nandina can only be satisfied with a place on the southern windowsill. She is not afraid of the direct sun, she shows bright colors only in this way. In the summer, you can place the plant on the western window, only the southern one is suitable for the winter. But most likely in winter the nandine will have to be illuminated.
Nandine needs to be rotated regularly for even development.
Temperature control and ventilation
Nandina cannot be made to bloom and preserved without a cool wintering. Ideal values ​​for a plant are from 5 to 13 degrees. In the warmth, the bush dries quickly, if it recovers, it takes a long time and painful. But on the other hand, in the summer, she endures any heat. The optimal content is with a temperature of 20-25 degrees, but with an increase in humidity, it will not be scared even 35 degrees.
This shrub fully justifies the title of garden and indoor. In the spring-summer, as soon as the return frosts go away and until the cold snap to zero marks, it is advisable to transfer the nandina to the open air, first to a soft partial shade, and then to a sunny place, gradually accustoming it. And even in winter, one should not forget about regular ventilation. The plant is not afraid of drafts, it withers without fresh air.
Read also our article What houseplants like to live in the garden in the summer?
In the spring-summer, it is advisable to move the nandina to the open air. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com tellerreport
Caring for nandina at home
Controlling soil moisture, maintaining high air humidity – nandine is demanding on everything. Unless she needs a classic dressing.
Watering and air humidity
Nandines cannot stand dampness and require moderate watering even in summer. Drying out of the soil causes leaf fall. It is best to always check to see if the top layer of the substrate is dry before watering the plant again. For the winter, watering is reduced in terms of the rate of development and drying out of the soil, trying to maintain the same light uniform moisture.
For this shrub, only soft, settled or acidified water is suitable, ideally, melt or rainwater.
Nandina requires maintaining high levels of air humidity. If you do not install humidifiers or at least pallets with wet pebbles or expanded clay, you will not be successful. Spraying is allowed only as an additional measure during May-August.
Top dressing and composition of fertilizers
The plant needs additional feeding no earlier than 4-5 weeks after transplantation and only during the period of active development. Enough 1 feeding in 2 weeks with complex, universal fertilizers (plants in the form of bonsai require special fertilizers for bonsai or a reduced dose of the usual).
Trimming and shaping nandina
By shortening the shoots, by cutting, you cannot achieve anything from the nandina, because the shoots do not branch. For rejuvenation and thickening, the oldest shoots are cut to the base in early spring. Damaged leaves must be removed as they dry, and the main sanitary pruning after winter.
Bonsai shaping requires the removal of overgrowth and the trimming of the trunks for a standard shape. This is a difficult to form non-branching plant for experienced flower growers.
Formation of nandina bonsai requires the removal of overgrowth and stripping of the trunks for the standard form. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com GrampaMoses
Transplant, containers and substrate
The transplant of nandines is carried out as the soil is developed, when the roots appear in the holes. Only the top layer of the substrate is changed annually.
Nandina is not capricious about the composition of the soil. A universal substrate with a dominance of sod land is quite suitable for her. Acceptable pH values ​​are from 4 to 6,5. If you mix the soil mixture yourself, the optimal proportion is 4 parts turf soil with 2 parts leafy soil and 1 part sand.
For nandina, large containers with a width and height equal to each other are needed. And very good drainage holes. A high drainage layer must be laid at the bottom of the pots.
Nandina is rolled over, without removing the soil from the roots, with a whole earthy clod, checking that the root collar remains flush with the soil. For bonsai, partial root ball pruning is acceptable.
Read also our article Nandina’s home, or “Sacred bamboo”.
Diseases, pests and problems in nandine growing
By dropping leaves, nandina reacts to almost any abnormal conditions, including heat, dryness, overflow and overdrying of the substrate. Spots and discoloration indicate misses in feeding and lighting. The plant suffers greatly from a lack of light.
It is sensitive to viruses (especially mosaic spotting) and rot, and does not tolerate waterlogging. Correction of care and treatment with fungicides are mandatory measures. In case of serious damage by rot, cutting out the damaged parts with an emergency transplant is needed (but it ends well, it is extremely rare, because nandina does not like complete exposure of the roots).
In dry air, nandines can suffer from spider mites, which can be dealt with by washing and raising the air humidity to high. Only in case of severe infection, insecticide treatments are needed. In the garden, aphids are often affected, which is better to fight with biological agents (bioinsecticides or plant infusions).
By dropping leaves, nandina responds to almost any abnormal condition. Farmer Burea-Uinsurance.com Bloublome
Reproduction of nandina
This shrub can be grown from seeds, but it will take a very long time to wait for decorativeness. You need to use freshly harvested seeds, sow superficially, with temperature control in the greenhouse at about 25 degrees Celsius.
A much faster way is to root summer cuttings in the substrate. Semi-lignified apical cuttings after treatment with growth stimulants should be kept in greenhouse conditions with stable humidity and a temperature of about 25 degrees. The minimum rooting time is 1 month, but more often you have to wait up to 4 – 6 months.
If the bushes have grown enough, you can simply separate the root suckers from the mother bush.
