sacred bamboo

Nandina domestica Thunb.

Sacred bamboo forms an upright evergreen shrub with slender, cane-like stems and relatively few branches. Its airy appearance comes from large leaves divided twice or three times into smaller leaflets. New growth can be reddish, while established foliage gives the shrub a much finer texture than its overall height suggests. NC State Extension: Nandina domestica Flora of China: Nandina domestica

Botanical name

Nandina domestica Thunb. is accepted in Berberidaceae. The supplied scientific name matches the current Kew treatment. Kew Plants of the World Online: Nandina domestica

Recognizing the plant

Leaves reach about 30–50 cm long. The nearly stalkless leaflets are elliptical to lance-shaped, taper to pointed tips and have smooth margins. Erect flower clusters carry small cream or white flowers. Rounded berries ripen red or purplish and measure about 6–8 mm across. Flora of China: Nandina domestica

Bloom window

China; winter fruit persistence in North Carolina cultivation

In China, flowering is recorded from March to June and fruiting from May to November. In North Carolina gardens, ripe berries can remain on the shrub through winter. NC State Extension: Nandina domestica Flora of China: Nandina domestica

Native range

Current Kew distribution places its native range in central and southern China, treating Japan as introduced. Flora of China records stream margins in mountain forests, thickets and roadsides below 1,000 m. It has also escaped cultivation in the southeastern United States. Kew Plants of the World Online: Nandina domestica Flora of China: Nandina domestica

Botanical sources

Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.