Lemon Lime leading nandina revival

By Norman Winter

Lemon Lime is leading the way in what appears to be a nandina revival. It is one of four great nandinas found in the Southern Living Plant Collection. You’ll find Flirt, Obession, Blush Pink, and the electrifying Lemon Lime.

Lemon Lime stands out in dramatic fashion with its chartreuse colored foliage. You can spot it a mile away. So, whether you are growing with cool season pansies or warm season summer snapdragons you’ll find everything seems to pop when you combine it with Lemon Lime.

Botanically speaking, Lemon Lime is a selection of Nandina domestica which has the common name Heavenly Bamboo. You commonly think of using nandinas for the red foliage that stands out particularly in the cool season. Lemon Lime is different in that it is always making a flashy, if not zesty statement.

Cluster an odd-numbered group by an entrance and you’ll find that the sea of lime incredibly stands out against the typical dark green of hollies or yew. You’ll also find that Lemon Lime is an allpurpose color that looks great with every other color you choose to partner it with.

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Lemon Lime nandina holds its brilliant color through out the year.

Courtesy of Southern Living Plant Collection/TNS

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Lemon Lime nandina also works well in mixed containers. Here it is partnered with pansies and other cool season annuals.

Photo courtesy James Winter/TNS

Lemon Lime is recommended for zones 6-9 and is cold hardy to minus 10 degrees. It will reach 3 to 4 feet high and wide. You will treasure the fact that it is pest free and easy to grow.

Successful establishment of your nandinas in the landscape often depends on planting techniques and care. They prefer to be placed in a shrub bed that is well-drained to moist, loose, nutrient- and humus-rich. Cover with a layer of mulch added to prevent loss of moisture, deter weeds and moderate summer temperatures.

When preparing a new shrub bed for nandinas or other container-grown shrubs, use metal edging, landscape timbers, or brick to separate turf from beds and to raise the soil with organic matter for good drainage.

Try to plant in bold curves and avoid planting in straight lines whenever possible to create a mystery as to what lies around the curve. Plant Lemon Lime in groupings of odd numbers like three, five or seven.

As mentioned, Lemon Lime works best as a colorful foreground to taller evergreen plants like hollies, ligustrums, and cleyera. You also can create a spectacular look using them in combination with ornamental grass.

Lemon Lime and all of the Southern Living Plant Collection nandinas work well in mixed containers too. You’ll find the typical potting soil blends will allow them to quickly become established and thrive in all seasons.

For winter or early spring color, plant pansies with Lemon Lime. No matter the color of your favorite pansies, they will partner well. If you choose one of the other selections of nandinas that has strong red overtones, then I highly recommend blue, white, or yellow.

For the rest of the year, we can use them as a background for pockets of our favorite summer flowers like angelonias, begonias, or petunias. As a tropical plant nut, I love the way Lemon Lime partners with bananas, elephant ears. and gingers. There is a reason the common name is heavenly bamboo.

Use the holidays to do a little planning to improve the landscape. Spring planting season is closer than you think and incorporating some Lemon Lime nandinas will surely make your garden pop.

Lemon Lime stands out in dramatic fashion against a back drop of dark green. Here it is partnered with angelonias and vinca.

Photo courtesy Norman Winter/TNS

Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of, “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.