Nandina

Nandina domestica

tree

Nandina (Nandina domestica), commonly called heavenly bamboo though it is not a bamboo, is a tough, adaptable broadleaf evergreen with upright cane-like stems and lacy, compound leaves that flush red and burgundy in cool weather. Loose sprays of small white flowers in late spring give way to large clusters of bright red berries that persist through winter. The standard species reaches 3 to 8 ft; many garden forms are smaller. It thrives almost anywhere with little care, but that toughness has two costs: every part is toxic, the berries can kill birds, and seedy forms have become invasive across the Southeast.

✅ Plant alongside

Good neighbors that attract beneficial insects or deter pests

• Liriope — An evergreen border grass that hides nandina bare lower canes
• Holly — A fellow tough evergreen that combines for winter structure and berry color
• Camellia — A broadleaf evergreen that shares acidic to neutral soil and part shade

🛡️ Pest & disease prevention

Proactive ways to stop trouble before it starts — tap a name with an arrow for its full guide

• Cottony cushion scale →

  White cottony masses on stems suck sap and leave sooty mold; treat with horticultural oil and control the ants that tend them

🌾 Harvest & storage

Nandina is grown for evergreen foliage and winter berries, not for harvest. The main task is renewal pruning: cut the tallest, oldest canes to the ground in late winter at staggered heights so the clump stays full instead of bare-legged. Where it is invasive or where birds visit, shear off and bag the berry clusters before they ripen.

🥗 Nutrition & benefits

Nandina is an ornamental landscape shrub and is toxic - it is not edible in any part. Its value is evergreen structure, red winter foliage, and berries, though the berries are best removed where birds or pets are present.

⚠️ Toxicity & safety

All parts of nandina contain cyanogenic glycosides that release cyanide when chewed or digested, and ingestion can cause weakness, incoordination, seizures, and in severe cases respiratory failure and death. It is toxic to people, cats, dogs, horses, and livestock. The bright berries are especially dangerous to birds: flocks of cedar waxwings have died after gorging on them. To remove the risk, choose nearly fruitless cultivars such as Gulf Stream or Fire Power, or shear off the berries.