Nandina domestica Woods Dwarf - Sacred Bamboo

Nandina domestica 'Wood's Dwarf' is a dwarf variety of sacred bamboo that stands out for its dense and beautifully rounded habit, as well as for its truly flamboyant autumn and winter colours. Its purplish-red young shoots unfold into green leaves composed of large leaflets that turn bright red with orange highlights in autumn and winter. Well-suited for small spaces and terrace decoration, this extremely decorative bush is easily grown in ordinary garden soil, even if very dry in summer.

'Wood's Dwarf' belongs to the Berberidaceae family. This small bush has a slow growth rate and its adult size will not exceed 1m (3ft) in height and 60cm (24in) in width after many years. Taller than wide, it forms a dense mass, supported by short stems resembling those of bamboo. It is beautiful throughout the year with evergreen foliage that changes colour, but this variety flowers infrequently and rarely produces fruits. When it does flower, it is in summer and appears as upright panicles adorned with small white flowers, sometimes followed by red berries. The leaves are divided into lanceolate leaflets, with barely noticeable ruffles. The root of this plant is a rhizome that can produce suckers, allowing it to spread somewhat in width.

Nandina domestica 'Wood's Dwarf' is particularly admirable in large plantings, along a path, or to dress the base of light-foliaged shrubs or trees. It can be paired with dwarf spireas (Spiraea japonica 'Little Princess'), colourful foliage Physocarpus ('Little Devil', 'Amber Jubilee', 'Dart's Gold'), Euphorbia griffithii 'Fire Glow', a Compact Winged Euonymus, or even dwarf Berberis 'Bagatelle'. 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-burning exposure, and with regular watering.