Heavenly Bamboo

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), also known as nandina or sacred bamboo, is a semi-evergreen flowering shrub native to Asia and ranging from the Himalayas to Japan. It was introduced as an ornamental plant valued for its interesting appearance in all seasons with its bright red berries and burgundy leaves in the fall and winter, white flowers in the spring, and dark evergreen foliage in the summer. It first escaped cultivation in the Southeastern United States. It is now invasive in most of the Eastern US and the Southwest. Nandina grows and spreads aggressively, out-competing native plants. It also has poisonous berries that have led to the deaths of native wildlife.