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delia5588

What is this?

delia5588
9 years ago

New homeowner here. This bush is in my front yard flower bed. What is it and is it appropriately pruned? How big should it grow to be? I hope it blooms or does something, as it looks quite sad looking! Lol.

Comments (10)

  • delia5588
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Another view

    This post was edited by delia5588 on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 23:35

  • saltcedar
    9 years ago

    Might be Nandina domestica. They can defoliate after an especially cold Winter.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Nandina

  • delia5588
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Just looked up the Nandinas. Wow, my nandina is definitely sad looking in comparison!! Haha. Would mine appear to be if the compacta variety?

    Since this is an evergreen (I had no clue!) and my plant looks to be bare and dieing, is there any hope my plant could survive? Do I need to leave it be or can I prune it down? If so, how much?

    Thank you!!

  • seedmoney
    9 years ago

    I'm going to disagree and say it's a Crepe Myrtle, (hopefully) a dwarf variety.

  • saltcedar
    9 years ago

    Notice the clasping rachis of the Nandina leaf bases. Pretty clear it's not Crepe Myrtle, though something to indicate the scale of the berries would have been useful.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    even evergreen plants.. can lose their leaves in a bad winter..

    dont know where you are..

    but its way to early to make decisions on it ...

    you might want to google: rejuvenation pruning of flowering shrubs.. and read up about how to renovate it.. and then meet us in the shrub forum for further guidance ...

    but for now.. all you do is wait.. and see how it buds out.. this spring ...

    ken

    ps: i am not liking itsposition as it is overgrowing the sidewalk ... its in bad need of moving.. or renovating ... i also wonder.. how recent of a transplant is was... because that would be a big stressor .... of which.. you dont know.. since you just moved there ... if you dont have a space for it.. i might consider telling you to get rid of it.. if you can figure out how to dig it out.. w/o destroying all the utilities buried in that area ... i now why they put it there.. site block.. but they really had no clue what they were doing ... and you should not have to deal with their mistake ...

  • delia5588
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you saltcedar and Ken!

    I'm in Southern NJ. About 20 minutes east of Philadelphia. We did have a very cold winter.

    I just read a small bit about Nandinas. They like sun and can tolerate heat? My front yard (where it is currently) is facing East. So after about 10/11am most of the sun is heading towards the back of my house. I have no shady trees in my back yard, so lots of sun. I should also mention my soil is more clay-like. It's wet along my back fence area as my yard as a slight decline. There is a creek along the back. Would that be ok conditions to move the nandina to the backyard?

    I've got a hydrangea against that back fence, which I've now learned should be too sunny of conditions for it? Seems like those two plants need to switch places? :)

    The previous homeowners seemed a bit clueless about caring for their yard. Not that I'm any expert. :) but all that was left in the yard is what I believe to be a small dogwood tree, azaela (I think) and this nandina all in the same bed in the front yard. Here's a picture.

    I've planted several bushes in the front and backyard in flower beds against the home. I'm trying to learn as I go. It's been a lot of hard work.

  • Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
    9 years ago

    Definitely Nandina. Note that there were a few leaves left. (Crape myrtle would never have any leaves from the previous year)

    Yes, it was a terrible winter from a broad-leafed evergreen's perspective.

    Most of our local nandinas look the same.

    Now would be a good time to cut it back a bit if you care to.

    My FirePowers look horrible. Hope they're still alive.

  • seedmoney
    9 years ago

    OOps...my bad....first time I've ever seen a naked Nandina...

  • Carrie B
    9 years ago

    Yup. Definitely Nandina. Looks like the Nandina in my garden & the Nandina in my clients' suburban gardens. Mine is just starting to send out new shoots from the top. Delia - yours should be OK. Keep an eye out - in the next week or two - for new red growth to emerge from the top. Do NOT cut them back!