Heavenly Bamboo/Nandina

So you may see a theme this week:)  That's right....I'm presenting shrubs from my garden journal.  From all the plants covered in my series, the shrubs are some of the hardiest and best lived plants in the desert that require almost absolutely zero maintenance once established.  Most of these require some sort of pruning, but other than that, they do well with or without that extra watering.  Nandina, or Heavenly Bamboo, is a lush and green bush that is a great plant to use in either repetition or sporadically throughout the garden as a reoccurring  plant.  At El Presidio, it's used in our northern borders as a hedge and in our courtyard as a green background to accent the focal plants.  Here are some tips on pruning because I think it's important.  It can grow slowly at first so be patient.  But once it gets going, there's no holding this beast back.  It loves a springtime haircut and will get bushier. If you want a lush and tropical green look, make sure you include this plant in your landscape.  It stays green all year round.  During winter, it will turn purplish under extreme cold temps.  It will develop red berries that birds eat.  Sticking with Cathy Bishop.....here is her write on this amazing plant.....

"What is green and bushy and red all over? The answer is one of my favorite plants – heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica). Not a bamboo at all (and I’m not so sure why it’s heavenly), this is one of the greatest no-prune, low-care shrubs of all time! There are numerous varieties, each with its own characteristics, and once you have chosen the correct one for the place you intend to plant, the hard part is pretty much over. The most important characteristic to start with is how big do you want it to become. If you want to screen out the view of your neighbor’s yard from your patio – go for the original Nandina domestica. This will easily become 5 feet tall or more and dense enough that you will never see into the next yard again. If the purpose is a foundation planting that will never edge above the window sills, then Nadina domestica compacta is the right plant for the job. There are a couple of splendid groundcover Nandinas – Harbor Dwarf and Harbor Belle – that will make a neat, carefree 18-inch planting. The next characteristic of importance has to do with their gorgeous winter coloration. This is where the entire genus really shines as they are one of very few plants that turn intense russet, scarlet or burgundy for the winter and then revert to green in the spring without losing a single leaf to do it. Some of the finest cultivars have turned this into an art. The cultivar Gulf Stream becomes sizzling scarlet, Moon Bay is a rich plum shade, Plum Passion is the darkest burgundy and Sienna Sunrise is perfect autumn henna. These are all varieties that are grown by tissue culture. Their color will be uniform throughout the series. If you like a tad more mystery and a bit more of the hands of nature in your plantings, the species domestica and compacta will give you a blend of all of these colors in a mix of the plants.  No matter which variety you choose, they are all easy-to-grow plants, with moderate water and nutrient demands. You will have virtually no pruning to do if you pick one that is the correct height for your desired use. " End of article.  Source: http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/2006/11/10/32001-low-care-no-prune-bamboo-heavenly-idea/