PLANT: Sacred bamboo or
nandina (Nandina domestica) is bushy
evergreen shrub yielding bright red
berries in the fall and winter.
IDENTIFICATION: An
erect, multi-stemmed bushy evergreen
shrub, to 8 ft. tall, stems
resembling a woody to fleshy bamboo,
glossy pinnately- to bipinnately-compound
leaves, green or reddish tinged, and
white to pinkish flowers in terminal
clusters. Pith bright yellow.
Abundant flowers in May – June, 4-10
inches long, pink in bud opening
white to cream with yellow centers,
deciduous petals, fragrant. Light
green, spherical berry ripening to
bright red, in September – December.
ECOLOGY: Shade
tolerant and occurring under forest
canopies and near forest edges.
Commonly planted around old homes
and escaped, with various cultivars
of varying leaf colors. Colonizes by
sprouts and spreads by
animal-dispersed seeds. Seedlings
are frequent near plantings. Some
cultivars do not produce viable
seeds.
HERBICIDE CONTROL:
Apply a glyphosate herbicide as a 1%
solution (4 ounces per 3-gal. mix)
in water with a surfactant to
thoroughly wet all leaves in August
to October. Apply Garlon 4 as a 20%
solution (2.5 quarts per 3-gal. mix)
in commercially available basal oil,
diesel fuel, or kerosene with a
penetrant (check with herbicide
distributor) to young bark as a
basal spray. Cut and treat large
stems with Arsenal AC as 10%
solutions (1 quart per 3-gal. mix)
or a glyphosate herbicide as a 20%
solution (2.5 quarts per 3-gal. mix)
in water with a surfactant. Collect
and destroy fruit.
WARNING: Arsenal AC
will damage plants with roots in the
treated area. Always read and follow
label directions carefully.
Photo and Text Credit: Nonnative
Invasive Plants of Southern Forests,
James Miller, 2004, www.forestryimages.org
|