Nandina Domestica is a name that is originally derived from the word heavenly bamboo. This flowering plant is grown in a wide range of area from Himalayas to Japan. This slower is increasingly used for plantation and embellishment purposes since it has such attractive exterior with beautiful red foliage that gives an Autumn like view in the winters and in spring new foliage grows to add to the colourful plants. It is considered to be a household plant in Japan. Unlike its name it is not a bamboo plant. However, it is a shrub that grows to about 2 m tall and 1.5 m wide. The shrub has mostly unbranched stems that grow from the ground level. The beauty of these plants or leaves is that there are so many different colours of this plant. The newly grown or young leaves are more pinkish colours, then they turn green while the older leaves are more reddish brown or purple in colour.
Toxicity of Nandina plants:
No matter how beautiful Nandina plants look they are however pretty toxic in nature. All parts of the plants including the leaves, roots, stems, etc. are toxic and have decomposing properties to release the toxic substance called hydrogen cyanide. These plants if ingested can be fatal to animals. Although the plants themselves are listed in the non-toxic categories however the berries that grow ion these trees can be toxic and will harm any animals if they ingest them. They can even prove fatal to the animals that graze around. Although birds will often feed on these berries but excessive consumption of them can prove very dangerous to them as well. The plants online are composed of not one but multiple kinds of toxins that can prove harmful to humans and animals.
Status of an Invasive species:
This plant is considered as an invasive species in a few parts of the world like Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. This particular species can grow to be very abundant from the time of introduction and it has been increasingly observed as a wild species of plants that is growing uncontrollable in places like woodlands and floodplains. Although they do add to the scenic beauty of the area but the toxic nature of the plant makes the authorities concerned about the growing abundance of this plant. It grows in dry conditions and can be very tolerant, which makes it grow extensively in most areas like Texas. These species are mainly spread by means of birds that often come to feed on the berries and fruits of this plant. The fruits of this plant is considered invasive in most places. This is why they are not favoured to be grown in certain parts of the world.
