Heavenly Bamboo

Garden Tasks for June

Hang codling moth traps in apple trees to reduce the number of wormy apples in your harvest this year. Be sure to use a fresh pheromone (attractant).

• Spray roses every two weeks to keep them healthy and prevent leaf diseases. Neem oil is a safe alternative to chemicals.
• Control earwigs with “Sluggo Plus” or diatomaceous earth sprinkled around the plants. Alternatively, go out after dark with a flashlight and a spray bottle of insecticidal soap—one squirt will eliminate them.
• Thin fruit trees now while fruits are still small:
  • Apples: 6 inches apart
  • Peaches: 4 inches apart
  • Asian pears: one fruit per spur
• Put out oriole feeders or attract them with fresh orange halves.

About Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina domestica)

Heavenly Bamboo—Nandina domestica—is a desirable, attractive, and easy-to-care-for mid-sized shrub for home gardens. Despite its name and appearance, it is not related to bamboo and lacks its negative traits.

• Foliage: Delicate and bamboo-like, attractive year-round. New growth is pinkish in spring, light green in summer, and bright red in fall, holding color through most of winter.
• Flowers and Fruit: Large clusters of creamy or pinkish-white blossoms appear in late spring, followed by showy red berries that persist into winter until birds consume them. Berries can also be used for winter decorations.

Varieties of Nandina

• Nandina domestica (Common): Grows 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Upright habit, ideal for height in narrow spaces; requires at least a 4-foot bed.
• ‘Moyer’s Red’: Similar to common Nandina but with brilliant fall color.
• ‘Compacta’: Grows 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Useful in smaller gardens, as a low hedge, or in courtyards/entryways.
• ‘Gulf Stream’: New growth is scarlet, maturing to blue-green in summer and intense red in fall.
• ‘Firepower’: Dwarf variety (2 feet tall and wide) with brilliant red foliage in fall and winter. Produces no flowers or fruit; excellent for shaded landscapes.
• ‘Harbour Dwarf’: Slow-growing to 18 inches tall and 2.5 feet wide. Use as a mounding groundcover in partial shade or as a border around small ponds.
• ‘Moon Bay’: Mid-sized, globe-shaped (3 feet tall and wide). Lime-green foliage turns brilliant red in fall; produces small white flowers and persistent red berries.

Growing Conditions and Uses

• Hardy shrubs that thrive in sun or partial shade.
• Low water needs once established; useful in dry shade.
• Deer-resistant in many landscapes.
• Ideal for Asian-inspired gardens, glazed ceramic pots, or near water gardens and fountains.

With its four-season foliage color, natural vigor, and low maintenance, Heavenly Bamboo is an excellent choice for landscapes.