Sacred Bamboo Nandina domestica
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- nan-DE-na do-MES-ti-ka
- This plant has high severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
- Description
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This plant is problematic, and alternatives or non-fruiting cultivars should be considered. Please see the suggestions in the left-hand column.
Heavenly bamboo is a commonly cultivated ornamental upright evergreen shrub in the barberry family (Berberidaceae). It is a native of central and southern China and Japan. In the early 1800s, this plant was introduced to North America. The genus name, Nandina, is the Latin form of the Japanese name for this plant, Nanten. The specific epithet, domestica, means domesticated or of home sites.
This plant flowers in the late spring and has ornamental fruits in the fall that persist through the winter months. The new growth is reddish, but the fall foliage of most cultivars is not dependable and varies in one plant seasonally and annually. The plant can be pruned, but keep in mind that next season's blossoms and fruit will appear on new growth.
The leaves and berries may be toxic to humans, livestock, horses, cats, dogs, and birds. A recent study in Georgia has linked over consumption of the berries by Cedar Waxwings to their deaths by cyanide toxicity. All parts contain cyanide and when consumed in quantity can be toxic.
Quick ID Hints:
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Terminal cluster of bright red berries.
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Medium evergreen shrub with cane-like growth.
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Decompound leaves, 1 to 2 feet long.
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Reddish new growth and fall foliage.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: This shrub has no serious insect or disease problems. Because heavenly bamboo is listed as invasive by the NC Invasive Plant Council and is toxic if ingested by pets or children, please see native alternatives listed to the left. Some suggested substitutions could be ‘Fire Power’ or 'Gulf Stream, which are essentially sterile (non-fruiting), or perhaps an ornamental shrub native to the United States such as the American beautyberry, buttonbush, native viburnums or winterberry.
VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy, and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.
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- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Japanese Garden at JC Raulston Arboretum Foundation Planting: Back of House Four-Season Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Alba'
- 'Atropurpurea Nana'
Upright, stiff compact form with yellowish-green leaves tinged reddish-purple throughout growing season, becoming red in winter.
'Fire Power'
- 'Flirt'
- 'Lemon Lime'
Dwarf, gold leaves, nearly fruitless - 'Nana'
Dwarf 1-2' tall almost no fruits. Leaves reduced to 3-9 leaflets. Foliage pinkish-red in winter. - 'Nana Purpurea'
Synonym for 'Atropurpurea Nana'
'Plum Passion'
- 'Sunray'
Cream colored berries and golden fall foliage.
Dwarf, almost no fruits, excellent red leaves throughout winter.
Compact dwarf shrub, nearly fruitless 'Harbour Dwarf'
Two foot dwarf plant, low fruit yield, dramatic fall colors.
deep purplish-red when in new growth, Deep green leaves in summer and reddish-purple in fall and winter. 'San Gabriel'
Very fine textured, grass-like foliage
Upright shrub, with evergreen leaves that change to reddish-purple in fall. 'Wood's Dwarf'
Ideal for beds and borders and for container growing too - 'Atropurpurea Nana'
- 'Alba', 'Atropurpurea Nana', 'Fire Power', 'Flirt', 'Gulf Stream', 'Harbour Dwarf', 'Lemon Lime', 'Nana', 'Nana Purpurea', 'Plum Passion', 'San Gabriel', 'Sunray', 'Umpaqua Chief', 'Wood's Dwarf'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Alba'
- 'Atropurpurea Nana'
Upright, stiff compact form with yellowish-green leaves tinged reddish-purple throughout growing season, becoming red in winter.
'Fire Power'
- 'Flirt'
- 'Lemon Lime'
Dwarf, gold leaves, nearly fruitless - 'Nana'
Dwarf 1-2' tall almost no fruits. Leaves reduced to 3-9 leaflets. Foliage pinkish-red in winter. - 'Nana Purpurea'
Synonym for 'Atropurpurea Nana'
'Plum Passion'
- 'Sunray'
Cream colored berries and golden fall foliage.
Dwarf, almost no fruits, excellent red leaves throughout winter.
Compact dwarf shrub, nearly fruitless 'Harbour Dwarf'
Two foot dwarf plant, low fruit yield, dramatic fall colors.
deep purplish-red when in new growth, Deep green leaves in summer and reddish-purple in fall and winter. 'San Gabriel'
Very fine textured, grass-like foliage
Upright shrub, with evergreen leaves that change to reddish-purple in fall. 'Wood's Dwarf'
Ideal for beds and borders and for container growing too - 'Atropurpurea Nana'
- 'Alba', 'Atropurpurea Nana', 'Fire Power', 'Flirt', 'Gulf Stream', 'Harbour Dwarf', 'Lemon Lime', 'Nana', 'Nana Purpurea', 'Plum Passion', 'San Gabriel', 'Sunray', 'Umpaqua Chief', 'Wood's Dwarf'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Nandina
- Species:
- domestica
- Family:
- Berberidaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Central and Southern China and Japan
- Distribution:
- Native: China North Central, China South Central, China Southeast, and Japan. Introduced: United States--AL, AR, FL, GA, LA, MD, NC, SC, TN, and TX; Italy, Korea, New South Wales
- Wildlife Value:
- Birds and small mammals eat the fruits.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Damage by deer.
- Edibility:
- Berries are poisonous if ingested.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Poisonous
- Shrub
- Weed
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 3 feet-6 feet
- 6-feet-12 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Winter
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- In the fall, this plant produces bright red, round berries on large terminal panicles that persist through the winter. The berries are 8 mm in diameter. Each berry contains two seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- The flowers are white with yellow anthers, measure 5 to 13 mm in diameter, and bloom in late spring. They grow on erect terminal panicles between 10-12 inches long.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Broadleaf Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leathery
- Smooth
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Long-lasting
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are alternate, bi- to tri-pinnately compound, evergreen, and 1-2 feet long. The leaflets are 0.75 to 3 inches long, elliptic-lanceolate, entire, bluish-green, and glabrous. In the spring the leaves are red to bronze. During the summer they become bluish-green and then change to purplish-red in the fall.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heavy Shade
- Salt
- Problems:
- Invasive Species
- Poisonous to Humans
- Problem for Cats
- Problem for Children
- Problem for Dogs
- Problem for Horses
- Weedy
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Poisonous to Humans:
- Poison Severity:
- High
- Poison Symptoms:
- Hydrogen cyanide is highly poisonous if ingested in quantity. All parts are toxic to humans, cats, dogs, livestock, horses, and birds such as the Cedar Waxwing. Weakness, incoordination, seizures, coma, respiratory failure, and death can occur from ingestion.
- Poison Toxic Principle:
- Cyanogenic glycosides
- Causes Contact Dermatitis:
- No
- Poison Part:
- Fruits
- Leaves
- Stems
