NanSid6

Heavenly Bamboo

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Gulfstream' and 'NanSid3'

Summary: The plant and leaf of 'NanSid6' are smaller than those of both reference varieties. The leaflet of 'NanSid6' is longer and narrower than that of both reference varieties. In early spring, the upper side of newly opened leaves of 'NanSid6' are brown purple whereas those of 'Gulfstream' are orange brown and brown red and those of 'NanSid3' are lighter brown purple and more brown. In early spring, the lower side of newly opened leaves of 'NanSid6' are brown purple whereas those of 'Gulfstream' are dark pink red to orange brown. In summer, the upper side of outer leaves are dark purple red to brown purple whereas those of 'Gulfstream' are yellow to light green and those of 'NanSid3' are yellow green with strong red to dark pink red tones.

Description:

PLANT: shrub, globose, bushy growth habit, very dense branching, slow to moderate growth rate
STEM: light green, anthocyanin colouration present, medium thickness, absent or very sparse pubescence, round in cross-section, smooth bark, medium to strong glaucosity, absent or very few lenticels, no thorns

LEAF: pinnately compound, alternate arrangement on the stem
LEAFLET BLADE: occur in opposite pairs, lanceolate and elliptic, acute apex, attenuate base, entire margin, no lobing, absent or very sparse pubescence on upper and lower side, no variegation, absent to very weak rugosity, margin waviness ranging from weak to medium
LEAFLET BLADE (NEWLY OPENED IN EARLY SPRING): upper side brown purple (RHS N186C-D), lower side brown purple (RHS N186D)
LEAFLET BLADE (FULLY OPENED IN EARLY SPRING): upper side dark yellow-green (RHS 144A)
LEAFLET BLADE (OUTER LEAFLET IN SUMMER): upper side dark purple red (RHS 185A) to brown purple (RHS 185C), lower side brown purple (RHS 185B)
LEAFLET BLADE (INNER LEAFLET IN SUMMER): upper side brown green (RHS N137A) with some green brown (RHS 153C-D) tones along margin, lower side brown green (RHS N137B)
LEAFLET BLADE (OUTER LEAFLET IN FALL): upper side dark purple red (RHS N34A) and brown purple (RHS 183A) and dark purple red (RHS 185A)
LEAFLET BLADE (INNER LEAFLET IN FALL): upper side dark purple red (RHS N34A) and brown purple (RHS 183A) and dark purple red (RHS 185A) and brown green (RHS 146A-B)
PETIOLE: present

Origin & Breeding History: 'NanSid6' originated from a naturally occurring mutation of the variety Nandina domestica 'Gulfstream', discovered in a block of container grown plants in Mission, British Columbia, in the spring of 2010. The new variety was selected based on the dark brown purple colour of its new leaves in the spring. 'NanSid6' was evaluated in greenhouse trials from 2011 to 2015 where it was assessed for uniformity, stability and overall performance. Asexual reproduction of 'NanSid6' was first conducted by tissue culture from stem cuttings in the spring of 2011, in Mission, British Columbia.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'NanSid6' was conducted in an outdoor container trial during the spring and summer of 2016, at Bioflora Inc., in St. Thomas, Ontario. The trial included a total of 10 shrubs each of the candidate and reference varieties. All shrubs were grown from cuttings that were rooted in the spring of 2014 and transplanted into 3.78 litre containers in the spring of 2015. The trial was arranged outdoors in rows with 1 meter spacing between plants. Spring colours were observed on April 12, 2016 with most observations and measurements recorded on June 22, 2016. Fall colours were observed on November 5, 2016. Observations and measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of plants from the trial. All colour determinations were made using the 2007 Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Colour Chart.

Comparison tables for 'NanSid6' with reference varieties 'Gulfstream' and 'NanSid3'

Plant height (cm)

Plant width (cm)

Leaf length (cm)

Leaf width (cm)

Leaflet length (cm)

Leaflet width (cm)

Colour of newly opened leaflet in early spring (RHS)

Colour of outer leaflet in summer (RHS)

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Heavenly Bamboo: 'NanSid6' (left) with reference varieties 'Gulfstream' (centre) and 'NanSid3' (right)

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Heavenly Bamboo: 'NanSid6' (left) with reference varieties 'Gulfstream' (centre) and 'NanSid3' (right)

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Heavenly Bamboo: 'NanSid6' (left) with reference varietiy 'Gulfstream' (right)