Nandina domestica Moon Bay - Sacred Bamboo

The Nandina domestica Moon Bay is a variety of Sacred Bamboo that will seduce with its compact, dense and well-proportioned habit, and its fabulous autumn and winter colours that bring life to the garden during a period of the year short of flowers. Its leaves range from yellow to light green and turn red, lemon yellow, and orange at the end of the season. This bush also offers white flowers in panicles at the beginning of summer, sometimes followed by fruits. As decorative as it is easy to grow, and attractive all year round, the sacred bamboo is wonderful in flower beds and large borders or even a pretty pot on the terrace.

The 'Moon Bay' Sacred Bamboo belongs to the berberidaceae family. This bush is a horticultural selection derived from the Nandina domestica native to India, China, and Japan. Its growth is quite slow and its adult size will reach approximately 80-90cm (31.5-35.4in) in all directions. This plant forms erect stems from its rhizomatous stump, but they are not branched. They resemble those of bamboo and are adorned with leaves divided into long, narrow, and pointed leaflets. Its vegetation is dense, compact, and nicely rounded. The plant is beautiful all year round, and particularly colourful when it is cold. Its young reddish-purple shoots then produce leaves that are slightly yellowish green, becoming greener in summer, before colouring in flamboyant tones. In June-July, large conical panicles of cream-white flowers appear that are 20-30cm (7.9-11.8in) long. If the summer is long and warm enough, they are followed by clusters of pretty bright red fruits. It is best to plant another sacred bamboo nearby to obtain fruits, as the plant is not self-fertile. The fruits persist on the branches for a long time in winter.

Nandina domestica Moon Bay is particularly attractive in large groups It can be associated, for example, with a Mexican orange tree, Japanese 'Little Princess' spireas, 'Fire Glow' euphorbias, Isalia ground cover roses, or daylilies. Also consider pairing it with blue or purple-flowered asters, the contrast of colours will be magnificent at the end of the season. This small bush will also be beautiful in a large pot on the terrace, in a non-scorching exposure and with regular watering. In a large border, it can be accompanied by Lespedeza thunbergii and dwarf abelias.