Nandinas have come a long way from the leggy giants of yesteryear. While retaining all the hardiness and versatility of their forebearers, today’s nandinas are more refined, with managed growth and superb color. The Southern Living Plant Collection includes only the finest selections, each filling a unique niche in the landscape. Put these powerful performers to work for you in the landscape.
Lush Groundcover
Flirt™ Nandina offers a groundcover for even the toughest locations. With deep green foliage accentuating brilliant new growth in spring and summer and bright red winter color, Flirt™ is stunning no matter the season. Massed beneath trees, the mounding shrub will spread with age providing a dense, trouble-free alternative to turf. Group Flirt™ beneath specimen shrubs to add emphasis or soften hard edges with a border planting.
Lighten Up
The chartreuse foliage of ‘Lemon Lime’ Nandina is warm and inviting. Use it as a specimen or mass planting to brighten shady garden beds and encourage lingering. Or plant it by the front door to welcome guests. Unique among nandinas, ‘Lemon Lime’ emerges with yellow-green new growth and turns a bright lime green in summer.
Show Off
Perfect as a specimen or accent, Obsession™ Nandina shines throughout the year. This upright, dense shrub emerges with pure red new growth that lasts for several months before fading to rich green. In fall and winter, the entire plant is set ablaze in vibrant reds. Maturing into a compact 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, Obsession™ also works well as a low-maintenance hedge.
Contain It
Sized just right for large planters, Blush Pink™ Nandina provides continuous color to mixed containers. The blush pink new growth for which it is named emerges throughout much of the growing season, complementing adjacent flowers and foliage. In fall and winter, the compact shrubs ignite with bright pink and red foliage. The fingered, bamboo-like foliage of nandinas also looks right at home around the water garden, whether planted in the ground or a container.
Stack Them Up
Plant different sized nandinas together to achieve a layered effect. Increase contrast by pairing varieties with different colored foliage, such as Flirt™ planted against ‘Lemon Lime’. Try a trio of containerized nandinas on your patio for a dynamic, carefree display. All varieties perform well in planters.
Bring It Indoors
Nandina foliage makes a colorful addition to floral arrangements. Cuttings can be taken any month of the year and have a long vase-life. The fern-like foliage works as a filler against blooms and berries, and also provides a textural, stand-alone display.
