Nandina ‘Nana’

Nandina 'Nana' (Nandina domestica 'Nana') is the dwarf form, a dense low mound about 60cm tall and 60cm wide that deepens to red through the cold months and holds that colour until the weather warms. It needs no clipping to stay neat, which is why landscapers use it in long runs beside paths and driveways. Planted 40cm apart it closes into a continuous low band.

Why you'll love it

• Winter colour that lasts months. The foliage turns deep red as temperatures drop and holds through winter, filling the quietest part of the garden year.
• It stays low on its own. A natural 60cm dome means no shearing, no bare stems and no annual pruning job to keep an edge looking sharp.
• It handles the difficult spots. Frost hardy, heat tolerant, drought tolerant and content in poor soil, so it survives hot driveway strips and cold exposed edges alike.
• It works across most of the country. The same plant performs in cool temperate, Mediterranean, warm temperate and subtropical gardens.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart for a continuous low border. That spacing closes over in two seasons and keeps the run dense right to ground level, which is what an edge you look down onto needs.

Mass planting. The same 40cm spacing suits a wide sweep or a bank. Because it colours as a group, a mass planting reads as a single block of red through winter rather than a patchwork.

Rockeries and pots. Its small root system and slow habit suit a rockery pocket or a pot 300mm and wider.

Growing Nandina 'Nana' in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the deepest red; part shade keeps the plant healthy but greener. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. Colder gardens get the better colour, because red intensity depends on cool nights.

Soil. Any reasonable soil with drainage. It tolerates poor ground and does not need a rich bed, but it will not thrive where water sits. On heavy clay, raise the bed and work compost through the backfill.

Water and feed. Deep water weekly through the first summer, after which it is drought tolerant apart from long dry spells. One application of controlled release fertiliser in early spring covers the year.

Pruning. Do not shear it into a shape. If a plant opens up after several years, cut the two or three oldest canes to ground level in late winter and let fresh canes fill the gap.

What to expect when it arrives

We grow it in four sizes: tube stock, 140mm in packs of ten, 200mm in packs of six and 250mm in packs of three. Tube and 140mm plants are young, roughly 10cm to 20cm tall, and are the sensible choice for a long border; the 200mm and 250mm sizes arrive as full little mounds.

Nandinas travel well, and a little leaf drop after transit corrects itself once the plant settles in. Expect a quiet month, then steady growth, with an edge closing over in its second season. 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 colour through autumn and winter
• Low shrubs suited to mass planting
• Nandina 'Obsession' for a taller shrub with red new growth
• Plants for rockeries and gravel gardens

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Forty centimetres apart for a continuous low border or mass planting. Each plant reaches about 60cm across, so that spacing lets the mounds overlap into an unbroken band.

Is it safe around dogs and cats?

No. Both the foliage and the berries are toxic to pets, which is why we do not list it as pet friendly. A pet safe groundcover is the better choice if your animals graze.

When does it turn red?

The colour builds from mid autumn as nights cool, peaks through winter and softens back to green as spring warms up. Plants in full sun and colder districts colour far more strongly.