S & J Nursery’s Guide to Growing
Dwarf Nandina ‘Flirt’
in the Northeast Florida Jacksonville
| St. Augustine area Landscape
( Nandina Domestica ‘Murasaki’ being marketed and sold under the trade name of ‘Flirt’)
Nandina Dwarf Flirt Origins:
-A new cultivar of Nandina domestica named ‘Murasaki’ being sold and marketed under the trade name ‘Flirt’. Here is an excerpt from the patent information below.
This new ‘MURASAKI’ variety resulted from a naturally occurring, whole plant mutation discovered in a cultivated planting of the Nandina domestica variety ‘Harbour Dwarf’ (not patented). ‘MURASAKI’ appeared different from ‘Harbour Dwarf’ plants growing in stage 3 rooting culture in a plant micropropagation lab in Magnolia, Tex. and was initially discovered around December 2005 by the inventors.
The selection of this plant was based on its unique and long-lasting wine red-colored young foliage in contrast to the typical lime green-colored young foliage of the cultivar Nandina domestica ‘Harbour Dwarf’ (not patented).
For more about “Flirt” Nandina you can see its differences from its parent plant as well as comparisons to other cultivars on the market in the patent information in the link below
https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP21391P2/en
Evergreen , frost tolerant, hardy in zones 6a-10b.
Exposure for Dwarf Nandina Flirt :
– Nandina Flirt plants can be planted in a full sun or partial sun and partial shade location in the North Florida | St. Augustine | Jacksonville area landscape. If planting Dwarf Flirt Nandina into a full hot sun location it will require a bit more fertilizer and supplemental irrigation through an irrigation system or hand watering to keep it at its best.
Foliage of the Nandina Dwarf Flirt :
– Very pretty burgundy wine red new growth against a backdrop of glossy green foliage with a lace like leaf arrangement give these tough little plants color, movement and texture in the garden. Three keys to a garden that is easy on the eye wrapped up in an easy care plant perfect for North Florida Gardens.
Soil Preference / Salt tolerance of the Dwarf Nandina selection ‘Flirt’ :
– Nandina Flirt will prefer moist but well draining fertile soils in the North Florida landscape. Amend the soils with compost when planting for an extra low maintenance landscape planting. Avoid water logged soils.
– Salt tolerance unknown.
Size Variance of Dwarf Flirt Nandina:
– This Dwarf selection of Nandina Domestica is normally found to grow to 1-2 ft high and 1.5-2 ft wide in the Northeast Florida Jacksonville | St. Augustine area landscapes.
Growth Habit of the Dwarf Nandina ‘Flirt’:
– Nandina Flirt has a compact somewhat upright but rounded growth habit and needs little to no pruning to keep its naturally attractive shape.
Growth Rate of the Flirt Nandina domestica selection:
– Nandina Flirt will grow slowly in the North Florida landscape, expect to get on average 3-6 inches to its height each year until maturity.
Nandina Flirt Bloom:
-NA this sterile cultivar will not bloom or have the berries that is traditional and problematic for our northeast Florida garden area in Heirloom Nandina Domestica varieties. Nandina domestica Flirt is a Florida Friendly cultivar!
Water Requirements Once Established into the Landscape of the Dwarf Nandina domestica Flirt:
– Fairly drought tolerant, will require moderate watering in the landscape (performing at its best with at least weekly supplemental irrigation especially during times of extreme drought.)
Butterfly or Bird Attracting:
– Not touted to be a wildlife attractor for the landscape.
Best Uses For Dwarf Nandina Flirt in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area landscape :
– This compact little plant is perfect for a low maintenance landscape and can be used in masses as a groundcover or in island beds to accent palms or other landscape specimen plants, use them as the middle to lower / front layer of foundation plantings around homes or commercial plantings that will receive supplemental irrigation.
– Low maintenance landscape plant selection!
Care of S & J Nursery’s North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine Shrubs:
– Shrubs can be planted in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area at any time during the year. In normal and well draining soils dig the hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Plant
the top of the root ball level or slightly higher than the surrounding soils. When planting in poorly drained soils make sure to plant your shrubs a minimum of 3 inches ABOVE the surrounding soil level.
– Water every day during the establishment period. For most 3 gallon size shrubs in the North Florida landscape in average soil, that is neither heavy clay that holds water or really sandy that will take 2-3 weeks of daily watering to ensure that your newly planted shrub will begin to put out new roots and grow into its new home happily. After the first few weeks begin tapering back your watering to every other day then every third day and so
on until your newly planted items are flourishing without your assistance.
– If planting larger shrubs you may need to extend the initial care a bit longer to protect your investment and get your shrubs off to the best start possible.
– IMPORTANT: If planting shrubs in heavy clay soils that hold allot of water after a rain or irrigating, remember to check the soil for moisture by sticking your fingers into the soil near the root ball of the newly
planted shrub down to 2-3 inches. If it remains wet from the previous watering wait for the top 2-3 inches to dry out before watering again.
– IMPORTANT: When planting shrubs into poor sandy soils be sure to amend the planting hole by mixing compost or cow manure etc. with the native soil that will go back in the hole around the new plants root ball when installing your shrub material, this will not only give your new shrubs good soil to grow its new roots into but help it hold water.
– When planting shrubs from containers be sure to loosen the roots as much as possible pulling loose roots away from the root ball before installing your new plants, if the roots are to tight to easily loosen with your hands use a knife to cut a few slits into the root ball being careful to go all the way from the top to the bottom and making the cut at least an inch deep. This will ensure that your plant will immediately begin to form new roots
into its new surrounding soil.
– Mulch newly planted shrubs whenever possible.
– Fertilize each spring with a mixture of Milorganite and a slow release poly coated plant food such as Osmocote or Stay Green general purpose plant food, sprinkling the fertilizer around the mulch circle underneath the
foliage of the tree.
– Prune as needed to shape each spring and or summer.
For more tips on how to get your new plants off to the best start possible to begin growing and thriving on their own….