Nandina ‘Blush’

Nandina Blush (Nandina domestica 'Blush') packs its colour into the leaves instead of the flowers. Each flush of new growth opens pink and red over a compact mound about 60cm tall and wide, and the whole plant deepens to rich crimson tones as the weather cools. For borders, pots and small gardens it delivers year round colour on a plant that barely needs you.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. The pink and red foliage does the work a flowering border usually does, and it never has an off season waiting for buds.
• Autumn and winter intensity. Cool weather turns the foliage deeper red just as the rest of the garden goes quiet.
• A tidy shape you never cut. It grows as a naturally rounded 60cm mound, so a row of them stays even without hedging shears.
• No berries. Unlike older nandinas, this form does not set berries, so there are no seedlings coming up where you did not plant them.
• Hard to kill. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant once established and unbothered by poor soil.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 50cm apart for a continuous low border along a path or bed front. The even habit keeps the line crisp year round.

Mass planting. The same 50cm spacing in blocks reads as a carpet of shifting colour, and the planting stays uniform because every plant holds the same shape.

Pots, balconies and small gardens. One plant fills a 300mm to 400mm pot neatly, and the compact size means courtyards and townhouse gardens can use it in numbers.

Growing Nandina Blush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade, with the strongest foliage colour in sun. It grows in subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean climates, which covers most Australian gardens outside the tropics, and frost does not worry it.

Soil. Any soil that drains, including poor and sandy ground. Compost at planting helps it establish faster, but it is not demanding.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A single application of slow release fertiliser in spring keeps the new flushes coming.

Pruning. Almost none. If an old plant thins, cut a third of the oldest canes to the base in late winter and it refreshes from the ground up.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Nandina Blush as tube stock, 140mm pots in packs of 10, 200mm pots in packs of 6 and 250mm pots in packs of 3, which suits border and mass planting projects of any budget. Tubes establish quickly and catch up fast; the potted sizes give an instant edge. Plants travel well, and the foliage colour often intensifies once they settle into full sun.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Plants that change colour through the year
• Browse plants with autumn colour
• More low maintenance plants
• Choosing edging plants for a clean border

Common questions

How far apart should I plant a border?

Fifty centimetres apart, centre to centre. The mounds meet within a season or two and hold a continuous 60cm band of colour without gaps or bulges.

Does it lose its leaves in winter?

No, it holds its foliage year round. Winter is actually its best season in cooler districts, when the whole plant flushes deep red.

Is it safe for pets?

Treat it as not pet safe. Nandina foliage and berries are regarded as toxic. This form sets no berries, which removes the main risk, but we do not sell it as a pet friendly plant.

Will it grow in a pot long term?

Yes, very well. Use a pot 300mm or wider with drainage holes and a quality mix, and refresh the top few centimetres of mix each spring. It stays in proportion for years.