Nandina Firepower

Nandina 'Firepower' (Nandina domestica 'Firepower') is a compact dome of foliage that shifts from lime green to deep crimson as the weather cools and holds that colour right through winter. It settles at about 60cm tall and 60cm wide and keeps its shape without pruning. Frost hardy in the south and heat tolerant in the north, it is one of the easiest ways to put reliable colour into a border.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. The display comes from the leaves, so it looks its best in the months when most gardens have gone quiet.
• It holds its own shape. The dwarf habit is naturally rounded and dense, which means no shearing and no gaps at the base.
• Cold and heat both suit it. Frost hardy through cool temperate winters and comfortable in subtropical summers, so it works across most of the country.
• Tough in poor ground. Drought tolerant once established and untroubled by thin, compacted or sandy soil.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 50cm apart for a solid line. At that spacing the mounds meet within two seasons and read as one continuous ribbon of colour.

Mass planting. The same 50cm spacing works across a bed or slope, and the uniform habit keeps the planting even without trimming.

Pots, rockeries and small gardens. A 300mm pot holds one plant for years, and the low scale suits a courtyard or a narrow strip beside a path.

Growing Nandina Firepower in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun produces the strongest red; in part shade the foliage stays greener and the winter colour softer. It suits cool temperate, warm temperate, Mediterranean and subtropical gardens, and the cooler the winter, the deeper the colour.

Soil. Any reasonably drained soil will do, including poor ground. On heavy clay, raise the bed and work compost through the backfill, then mulch to 75mm, kept off the stems.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in prolonged dry spells. A controlled release fertiliser in early spring is enough for the year.

Pruning. Almost none. Cut any tired stem back to ground level in early spring and the plant fills the gap itself. This dwarf form rarely flowers or fruits, so there is no berry drop.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock, as 140mm plants in packs of ten and as 200mm plants in packs of six. Tubes suit a long border or mass planting and take two seasons to close their spacing, while the 140mm and 200mm plants are already mounded and look finished in year one.

Colour on arrival depends on the season: plants dispatched in the warmer months are green and redden as autumn arrives. 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

• Compare other plants with autumn and winter colour.
• Browse the wider low maintenance shrub range.
• See what else suits small gardens and courtyards.
• Read about plants that change colour through the year.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Fifty centimetres apart for edging or mass planting. That allows each plant to reach its full 60cm width and touch its neighbours without crowding.

Does it drop its leaves in winter?

No. It is evergreen and the leaves simply change colour, turning red as temperatures drop and greening again in spring. In frosty districts the colour is deeper.

Is it safe around pets?

Nandina berries are toxic to cats and dogs. This dwarf selection rarely flowers or fruits, which greatly reduces the risk, but we would not describe it as a pet safe plant.

Does it need pruning to stay compact?

No. It is naturally dense and stops at around 60cm. The only job is cutting the occasional tired stem to the ground in early spring.