Magical Lemon Lime Nandina

Magical Lemon Lime Nandina (Nandina domestica 'Magical Lemon Lime') is grown for one thing: the flush of bright lime new growth that lights up a dark bed. It makes a compact upright shrub about 1m tall and 80cm wide, with fine bamboo like foliage that stays neat without shaping. Each flush arrives acid green and settles to a softer green as it hardens, so the plant carries two tones through the warmer months.

Why you'll love it

• Lime foliage without a flower in sight. The colour comes from new growth rather than blooms, so the display does not depend on a season.
• Compact and predictable. About 1m by 80cm, upright rather than sprawling, which suits narrow beds where width is the problem.
• Very little maintenance. No regular pruning, no deadheading, no staking. It holds its shape on its own.
• Wide climate range. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, humidity tolerant and drought tolerant once established, from subtropical gardens to cool temperate ones.

Where it works best

Mass planting and borders. Plant 60cm apart for a continuous band of lime. At that spacing the canes interlock and the planting reads as one block, not a row of individuals.

Low hedging in small gardens. A single row at 60cm centres gives a soft informal hedge to about 1m, useful for dividing a courtyard.

Pots and containers. A 400mm pot holds it for years, and the upright habit keeps it from flopping over the rim. Good in a shaded courtyard where flowering plants sulk.

Growing Magical Lemon Lime Nandina in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. Full sun gives the brightest lime and the densest plant; in shade the colour is softer and the growth more open. It suits subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens, and it is frost hardy, so tableland and southern gardens are fine.

Soil. Any reasonable garden soil that drains. Work compost through a poor bed at planting and mulch 50mm deep. It is not fussy about pH and copes with improved clay.

Water and feed. Water twice a week through the first summer, then reduce. It is drought tolerant once established, though an occasional deep soak keeps it looking better. A slow release fertiliser in early spring supports the new flush.

Pruning. Almost none. Cut old or bare canes out at ground level in late winter and it refurnishes from the base. Avoid shearing the top like a hedge, which leaves cut leaf ends and spoils the fine texture.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 140mm pots in packs of ten, 200mm pots in packs of six, and 250mm pots in packs of three, with the 250mm on backorder at present. Ten 140mm plants at 60cm centres cover about six metres of border. The 200mm and 250mm plants arrive with more canes and fill a bed sooner.

Nandinas travel well, with tough foliage and a compact root ball. Expect a quiet first month, then a new flush once the roots move, and allow two seasons for a border to close over. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more low maintenance shrubs.
• Compare options for mass planting.
• Find companions among plants for pots.
• Read about plants that change colour through the year.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

Nandina berries are toxic to pets, so we do not list this plant as pet friendly. This cultivar rarely flowers or fruits, which lowers the risk, but if your animals chew garden plants choose something else.

How far apart should I plant it?

Sixty centimetres apart for a mass planting, border or low hedge. Each plant reaches about 80cm wide, so that spacing lets them merge while keeping the canes upright.

Will it spread into the garden?

It is a clumping shrub, not a running bamboo, despite the foliage. Because it rarely fruits it produces very few seedlings, though we would not plant any nandina next to bushland.