Heavenly Bamboo Nandina domestica 'Richmond'
ABOUT
The Nandina domestica 'Richmond', commonly known as the Heavenly Bamboo 'Richmond', is a visually striking ornamental plant. The appearance of this cultivar is characterized by its multi-stemmed, upright, and gracefully arching form. The foliage is a key feature, exhibiting different colors with the seasons. During the spring and summer, the leaves present a lush green color, providing a dense and feathery texture. As cooler weather moves in, the foliage transitions to a stunning display of reds, purples, and oranges adding warmth to the garden landscape. The Heavenly Bamboo 'Richmond' is also prized for its flowering and fruiting characteristics. In late spring to early summer, it produces clusters of small, white flowers. The flowers are star-shaped and add a delicate, lacy effect amidst the leaves. Following the bloom period, the plant produces bright red berries that persist through the winter, offering a striking contrast against the foliage and providing a source of food for birds. The stems of the plant are slender and cane-like, contributing to the Bamboo-like appearance that gives this plant its common name, despite not being a true bamboo. The combination of its alluring foliage, showy flowers, and vibrant berries makes the Heavenly Bamboo 'Richmond' a favorite for year-round interest in garden settings, without referencing its overall dimensions.
About this plant
NamesFamily
Berberidaceae.
Synonyms
Heavenly Bamboo, Sacred Bamboo, Nandina.
Common names
Nandina domestica 'Richmond'.
ToxicityTo humans
Heavenly bamboo contains cyanogenic glycosides, particularly in its berries, which can release cyanide when ingested. Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and more severe cases may cause difficulty breathing, weakness, convulsions, and even coma due to cyanide poisoning.
To pets
Heavenly bamboo is also toxic to pets like cats and dogs, primarily because of the cyanogenic glycosides in the berries. Symptoms of pet poisoning can include drooling, difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, convulsions, and if enough is consumed, it can potentially be fatal due to cyanide release.
CharacteristicsLife cycle
Perennials
Foliage type
Evergreen
Color of leaves
Mixed
Flower color
White
Height
6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 meters)
Spread
2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 meters)
Plant type
Shrub
Hardiness zones
6
Native area
Eastern Asia
Benefits
General Benefits- Multiseason Interest: Nandina domestica 'Richmond' offers a variety of colors throughout the year, including green in summer, red or purple foliage in fall and winter, and white flowers in spring.
- Drought Tolerance: Once established, Heavenly Bamboo is known for its ability to withstand dry conditions, making it suitable for xeriscaped gardens.
- Minimal Maintenance: This plant generally requires little care beyond the occasional pruning to maintain its shape and encourage new growth.
- Landscape Versatility: It can be used in multiple landscape applications, including borders, container gardens, and as a focal point in the garden.
- Wildlife Attraction: The berries produced by Heavenly Bamboo can attract birds and other wildlife to the garden.
- Adaptability: This shrub is adaptable to a range of soil conditions and can tolerate both full sun and part shade environments.
Medical PropertiesThis plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying QualitiesThis plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses- Photography Backdrop: The lush foliage and bright berries of Nandina domestica 'Richmond', commonly known as heavenly bamboo, can serve as a natural and vibrant background for outdoor portrait photography.
- Winter Garden Interest: The plant retains its leaves and often its berries through winter, providing color and structure in otherwise dormant gardens.
- Natural Dye Source: The berries can be used to create a natural dye for fabrics or art projects, offering a range of subtle colors.
- Erosion Control: Because of its dense root system, heavenly bamboo can be used on slopes or areas prone to erosion to help stabilize the soil.
- Festive Decor: Branches of heavenly bamboo, complete with berries, can be cut and used for natural holiday decorations during the festive season.
- Privacy Screening: When planted in a row, heavenly bamboo can form a semi-evergreen screen that provides privacy to a garden or yard.
- Floral Arrangements: The attractive foliage and berries make heavenly bamboo a popular choice for inclusion in floral arrangements, both fresh and dried.
- Spiritual Symbolism: In certain cultures, the plant is used as a symbol in spiritual or religious rituals due to its evergreen nature and red berries, which can represent longevity and prosperity.
- Theme Gardens: Heavenly bamboo is often used in oriental-themed gardens to provide an authentic look due to its Asian origin and traditional use in Japanese gardens.
- Wildlife Shelter: The dense growth habit of heavenly bamboo provides shelter and nesting sites for birds and other small wildlife within a garden ecosystem.
Interesting Facts
Feng ShuiHeavenly Bamboo is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign CompitabilityHeavenly Bamboo is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism- Prosperity: Nandina domestica 'Richmond', commonly known as Heavenly Bamboo, often symbolizes prosperity due to its lush green foliage and the abundance of bright red berries it produces.
- Good fortune: In East Asian cultures, the red berries are associated with good fortune and are often used in New Year's decorations to invite luck and prosperity into homes.
- Longevity: The evergreen nature of Heavenly Bamboo suggests longevity and endurance, as it remains vibrant throughout the seasons.
- Protection: With its tough, bamboo-like stems, Heavenly Bamboo is believed to offer protective qualities, guarding against negative influences and fostering a safe environment.
- Transformation: The plant's ability to change color through seasons—from green to shades of red or purple—symbolizes transformation and adaptability in life.
WaterHeavenly bamboo should be watered thoroughly once a week, providing about one to one and a half gallons of water per session to moisten the soil deeply and encourage root growth. In hotter and drier conditions, check the soil moisture level more frequently, as you may need to water twice a week to maintain consistent soil moisture. However, avoid overwatering and ensure good drainage as this plant does not tolerate standing water or soggy soil. It's important to reduce the watering frequency in the fall and winter when the plant's water requirements decrease.
LightHeavenly bamboo thrives best in full sun to part shade conditions. It's ideal to position it in a spot where it can receive at least four to six hours of direct sunlight daily. However, in regions with very hot summers, providing afternoon shade will protect the plant from scorching. The plant is adaptable to various light conditions but will produce the best color and densest growth with ample sunlight.
TemperatureHeavenly bamboo can generally survive in temperatures ranging from 10°F to 100°F but prefers a moderate climate. The ideal temperature range is between 50°F and 80°F, which encourages healthy growth. This plant is hardy and can endure brief periods of colder temperatures, but prolonged exposure to extremes outside the aforementioned range may cause damage.
PruningHeavenly bamboo requires pruning to maintain its shape, encourage new growth, and thin out any dense clusters to prevent disease. It is best pruned in late winter or early spring before new growth begins. Pruning can be done annually or as needed to remove dead or weak canes and to rejuvenate older plants. The natural shape of the plant is often most attractive, so selective pruning is preferable to shearing.
CleaningAs needed
SoilHeavenly Bamboo 'Richmond' thrives in well-draining soil with a mix of loam, sand, and some organic matter. A suitable soil mixture could consist of 50% loam, 30% sand, and 20% compost or peat. The optimal soil pH for this plant is slightly acidic to neutral, ranging from 6.0 to 7.0.
RepottingHeavenly Bamboo 'Richmond' does not require frequent repotting and should generally be repotted once every 3-4 years or when it has outgrown its current pot.
Humidity & MistingHeavenly Bamboo 'Richmond' prefers average humidity levels and can tolerate some dryness, but it does best with moderate ambient humidity, without the need for any special humidity requirements.
Suitable locationsIndoor
Place Heavenly Bamboo in bright, indirect light inside.
Outdoor
Plant Heavenly Bamboo in partial sun to full shade outside.
Hardiness zone
6-9 USDA
Life cycleNandina domestica 'Richmond', commonly known as heavenly bamboo 'Richmond', initiates its life cycle when its seeds germinate in spring, given adequate soil conditions and temperature. The seedlings emerge and develop into young plants with a characteristic bamboo-like foliage. As the shrub matures, it forms evergreen leaves that change colors seasonally, from green to reds and purples in cold temperatures. Throughout spring and early summer, it produces clusters of small white flowers, followed by the development of bright red berries in late summer to fall, which persist through winter and are attractive to birds. These berries contain seeds that, once dispersed by wildlife or fallen to the ground, can lead to the germination of new plants. The shrub can also spread vegetatively through rhizomes, perpetuating its life cycle within a garden setting.
PropogationPropogation time
Spring-Early Summer
Propogation: The most popular method of propagating Nandina domestica 'Richmond', commonly known as Heavenly Bamboo, is through semi-hardwood cuttings. This is typically done in late summer. The process involves selecting healthy, semi-ripe stems from the current season's growth and cutting them into lengths of 4-6 inches (approximately 10-15 cm). Each cutting should have at least two to three sets of leaves. The bottom set of leaves is removed, and the cut end is dipped in rooting hormone to encourage root development. The cutting is then planted in a moist, well-draining potting mix and covered with plastic to maintain humidity. Roots usually form within a few weeks, after which the new plants can be gradually acclimatized to outdoor conditions before transplanting.
