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 leaves and berries may be toxic to humans, livestock, horses, cats, dogs, and birds such as Cedar Waxwings, which can ingest too many berries in one feeding session. All parts contain cyanide and when consumed in quantity can be toxic.
Zone: 6-9
Mature Height: 3-8 ft
Mature Spread: 2-5 ft
Landscape Characteristics
Habit
Classification by Use
Foliage
