Evaluating North and South Florida Landscape Performance and Fruiting of Ten Cultivars and a Wild-type Selection of Nandina domestica, a Potentially Invasive Shrub

Abstract

A wild-type selection of heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) and ten cultivars were evaluated for plant performance, growth, flowering, and fruiting in north and south Florida. Onset of flowering generally began by March and April in south Florida and 4 to 8 weeks later in north Florida. Fruit was first noted 8 to 16 weeks after most selections began flowering. Landscape performance and fruit production varied widely among taxa and locations. The dwarf selections ‘Filamentosa’ and ‘Firepower’ failed to flower or fruit in either location; while the medium-sized selection, ‘Moon Bay’, did not flower or fruit in south Florida, and the medium-sized selection, ‘Gulf Stream’, flowered but did not fruit in south Florida. Large-sized selections produced more fruit than did dwarf and medium-sized cultivars. Greater plant survival with generally heavier fruiting was observed in north Florida than in south Florida. In north and south Florida, ‘Monum’ and ‘Compacta’ produced more fruit than did the wild-type selection. Seed viability was fairly consistent among cultivars, ranging from 73 to 86%.