Nandina domestica Filamentosa - Sacred Bamboo

Nandina domestica 'Filamentosa', also known as Sacred Bamboo, is a recent horticultural variety that is small in size, with extremely fine, spider-like foliage that changes throughout the seasons from pink-orange in spring, to green-yellow in summer, to a beautiful red-purple to violet in autumn. The summer flowering, in panicles of small white flowers, often coincides with the intense red fruiting of the previous year. This unique and sculptural bush is ideal for small gardens, and will be a highlight of the garden in a large pot on a terrace.

'Filamentosa' belongs to the Berberidaceae family. It is a recently obtained cultivar from Nandina domestica native to India, China, and Japan. The growth of this small tree is quite slow and its adult size will not exceed 90cm (35in) in height and 1m (3ft) in width. 'Filamentosa' is a small bush with spreading foliage and upright stems resembling those of bamboo, as wide as it is tall. Its vegetation is dense, compact, and beautifully rounded. The plant is beautiful all year round. Its young pink-orange shoots then produce long, very narrow leaves that are deeply cut and have a beautiful green-yellow colour that turns red-purple in autumn. In June-July, it produces small conical panicles of cream-white flowers. These are followed by clusters of bright red, highly decorative fruits that persist for a long time on the branches, creating a joyful scene in the winter light. The root of this plant is a root stock.

Plant 'Filamentosa' in soft, deep, even slightly chalky, moderately dry to moist, well-drained soil. It prefers partial shade or sunny situations that are not scorching. Avoid drying winds and provide a location sheltered from severe cold. This bush is hardy down to -15°C (5°F), so it will be wise to protect its base with a thick layer of dead leaves before winter in colder regions. If the above-ground part were to freeze, the plant should be pruned back to ground level in February-March. Pruning is limited to removing dead wood and excess or weak branches in winter.

Nandina domestica 'Filamentosa' is particularly admirable in large plantings. It can be planted with choice shrub peonies, rudbeckia, Spiraea japonica 'Little Princess', Euphorbia griffithii 'Fire Glow', crocosmia, or daylilies. Each of these scenes will be a success. This small bush will also be magnificent in a large pot on a terrace, in a non-scorching exposure with regular watering. In a flowering hedge, it can be accompanied by Kolkwitzia amabilis, Viburnum tinus, Lespedeza thunbergii, or Abelia grandiflora.

Sacred Bamboo is related to berberis, and despite its common name, it has nothing to do with bamboo. It is its slender and upright habit and its spindle-shaped leaves that make it resemble bamboo. This bush, the only one of its kind, has been cultivated for centuries in Asia, planted around Taoist temples. Therefore, many varieties have emerged in Japan, and for many of them, the foliage modifications are due to diseases (viruses).