Nandina domestica Brightlight - Sacred Bamboo

Nandina domestica 'Brightlight', which is one of the most cold-resistant sacred bamboos, is a particularly elegant and bright variety, with its palm-like appearance and long, finely-cut leaves which are lemon-green in spring. This bush is decorative all year round, thanks to its light foliage that persists in winter and beautiful summer flowering in white panicles. Although this variety rarely fruits, its form and fresh colour are enough to appreciate it in flower beds, or in large pots on balconies or terraces, in all regions. The Sacred Bamboo is an undemanding plant and easy to grow in ordinary soil.

The 'Brightlight' Sacred Bamboo belongs to the berberidaceae family. It is a recent variety, bred and awarded in the Netherlands in 2014. This small bush is a particularly hardy form with large "discoloured" leaves of the Nandina domestica native to India, China, and Japan. Its growth is quite slow and it reaches a mature size of about 1.50m (4ft 11in) in height and 1m (3ft 4in) in width. This plant, with its upright silhouette and flexible habit, forms erect and branched stems resembling those of bamboo. They are adorned with particularly large leaves for the species, also finely cut into narrower leaflets than the species. In spring, the young leaves are lime green with a hint of yellow. Then the green colour becomes chartreuse. Flowering occurs in June-July, in the form of conical panicles of white-cream flowers, occasionally followed by clusters of shiny red fruits. 

The Brightlight Sacred Bamboo is valuable for enlivening shady or semi-shady areas, especially as it tolerates the presence of the roots of large trees quite well. It can be associated with other sacred bamboos in more flamboyant tones (Richmond, Sienna Sunrise, Obsessed Seika), a Mexican orange, Japanese Crispa spireas, a Loropetalum, Griffith's euphorbias 'Fire Glow', or orange daylilies. Each of these combinations will be a success. This small bush will also be magnificent in a large pot on the terrace, in a non-scorching exposure and with regular watering. In a small hedge, it can be accompanied, by Edward Goucher Abelia, Japanese Azaleas, Nikko Deutzia crenata, or Sarcococca hookeriana Humilis.