If you are looking for beautiful foliage in all seasons, this is a great option. It is lime-green in spring (with tinges of red), light-green in summer, bright red in fall, and it will remain red in winter in zones 8 and 9. It is planted in the spring or fall. Firepower Nandina can be used in a number of different ways in the landscape. It can be grown as a single plant or as a groundcover. It’s also a good choice for foundation planting and as an edging plant or in a low hedge. Firepower Nandina is toxic to pets. Firepower Nandina is a low-maintenance plant.
Light
Firepower Nandina needs full sun for superior foliage color. The exception to this rule comes in zone 9, where the plant can profit from receiving some afternoon shade.
Soil
The main soil requirement for Firepower Nandina is to avoid alkaline types where the leaves tend to develop chlorosis.
Water
Water young plants sufficiently to get them established. Once mature, they can are known for being fairly drought-tolerant.
Fertilizer
Fertilize your Firepower Nandina regularly to promote optimal foliage color. Use a general-purpose fertilizer meant for shrubs. Apply the fertilizer once in early spring and again in early summer.
Types of Nandina
While Firepower Nandina fits into small spaces, it lacks the red berries that are a major selling point of other, larger cultivars of heavenly bamboo such as
Nandina domestica ‘Moyer’s Red’: four to six feet tall and wide with light-pink bloomsNandina domestica ‘Richmond’: five feet tall and wide. It is a particularly good berry producerNandina domestica ‘Gulfstream’: three feet tall and wide with coppery foliage (with orange tints) in spring, bluish-green foliage in summer, and reddish-orange fall foliage
Pruning
Like all heavenly bamboo. Firepower Nandina does best when you let it grow to its natural form. Just prune off any brown leaves or dead branches when you see them for cosmetic purposes.
Propagating Firepower Nandina
Heavenly bamboo is most readily propagated through cuttings. Both softwood (new growth) and semi-hardwood cuttings work for propagating heavenly bamboo. To take a softwood cutting in warmer weather, follow these steps: Semi-hardwood cuttings are best taken in the summer or early fall. Semi-hardwood is the part of the stem that is partially, but not fully mature. Take these steps:
How to Grow Firepower Nandina From Seed
Because Firepower Nandina is a cultivar, propagating it from seed won’t produce a plant that is true to the parent. Therefore growing it from seed it not recommended.
Potting and Repotting Firepower Nandina
If you are looking to start a container garden, heavenly bamboo is an excellent choice, also if you want to grow the plant but live in a region with cold winters. Plant Firepower Nandina in a potting mix in a pot large enough to accommodate the entire root system plus about 6 inches to allow for future growth. Make sure the pot has good drainage holes. Remember to keep the soil consistently moist. Heavenly bamboo will need to be watered more frequently when grown in a container versus a garden. When grown in a container, a heavenly bamboo plant should only need repotting every two to three years.
Overwintering
Firepower Nandina does not require any winter protection when grown in garden soil. Potted plants, however, might need protection if you are at the lower range of the plant’s hardiness range. Wrap the container in burlap and bubble wrap so the roots don’t suffer cold injury during freezing tempertures. In cold climates, bring the plant inside after the first fall fall frosts and keep it in a bright spot for overwintering.
Common Pests & Plant Diseases
Firepower Nandina is prone to attacks by the cottony cushion scale, mealybugs, as well as whiteflies but it can withstand a low infestation without pesticide control. It can also be affected by bacterial leaf scorch.
