Nandina domestica 'TWILIGHT'

Nandina is an evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub from India, China and Japan. Common name heavenly bamboo refers to its crinkly leaves that really whisper like papery bamboo when touched and in stronger wind. Nandina species is believed to be the toughest of all nandinas as far as both hardiness and soil adaptability.

Twilight nandina is a variegated beauty among heavenly bamboo varieties. It was found as a naturally occurring mutation of Gulf Stream variety by Neil Marek of Magnolia Gardens Nursery from Texas, USA, in 2010. In spring emerges clear pink foliage that quickly turns pure white before marbling appears. Mature leaves are both green and marbled white. In autumn comes another colour: coppery red. The pinnate leaves are composed of small, lance-shaped leaflets. It grows slowly into a dense yet fluffy shrub. The plant is evergreen in mild winters and semi-deciduous in colder regions. It is protected by European patent No. EU43076 from 2016, and PP26025 in the USA a year earlier when it won Gold Medal at Plantarium in the Netherlands.

Nandina likes rich, moist but well-drained soil though it shows great adaptability to almost any soil type apart from sandy and boggy. Once established it requires zero maintenance apart from occasional watering in dry spells and before winter. It if pest and disease free. It usually does not need pruning but may be pruned in early spring. According to the breeder it is hardy to about -23°C (USDA zone 6) but we have not tested it in areas with constant cold wind or mountainous regions with long-lasting winters.

Last update 15-11-2020