Need help with heavenly bamboo

holly5 · Sun Nov 15, 2009 1:29 pm

I purchased this sub-tropical bonsai during the summer. It did great after repotting and while outdoors. Since moving indoors it seems to be suffering. I am not sure how to care for it as I do not know what type it is. Can anyone help?

[img]https://home.comcast.net/~liamsennott/pwpimages/DSC03087.JPG[/img]

bonsaiboy · Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:01 pm

Could be a Nandina domestica, or Heavenly Bamboo (not a real bamboo). Not sure, so wait for other input. If this is the case, though, you will need to place it outdoors ASAP.

holly5 · Mon Nov 16, 2009 7:54 am

I do believe you are right... heavenly bamboo sounds correct (I vaguely remember them telling me this when I bought it). But, I live in New England and we have already experienced a few hard frosts. Isn't this type a sub-tropical?

holly5 · Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:25 pm

Is it normal for this plant to drop leaves in the fall? From all that I have read on this bonsai it seems as though it will grow new leaves in the spring, but it is loosing more leaves each day and I fear will be bare soon!!

rainbowgardener · Tue Nov 17, 2009 5:24 pm

Nandina is evergreen and should not lose its leaves unless temps get down to 10 degrees F. The leaves should turn red for the fall and stay on until they are replaced by new leaves in the spring (which start out bronzy and then turn green).

Your plant is suffering. Off hand I would think either not enough light (these are hot weather, full sun plants) and/ or over watering. Do you have supplemental light for it? It is not likely to do well with just window light.

bonsaiboy · Mon Nov 30, 2009 7:26 pm

This shrub is fully temperate and should be kept outdoors. Without a dormant period, it may die.

rainbowgardener · Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:00 am

Bonsaiboy, even in zone 6a, which is what it looks like this poster may be in? I checked hardiness zones for nandina and different sources gave different results, anywhere from hardy only to zone 7, to hardy down to zone 5. I don't know if that is different varieties or just different interpretations. Perhaps they should keep it in a cold room or sheltered location? I live in zone 6b and I don't see it growing around here; I'm mainly familiar with it from visiting friends in North Carolina (zone 7), where it is everywhere.