A story about nandina berries and cedar waxwings keeps setting off alarm bells.
Nandina, AKA heavenly bamboo and sacred bamboo, is one of those plants you either love or hate.
Now those who hate it have another reason to do so.
Credit: buburuzaproductions/Getty Images
According to posts repeatedly shared across social media, nandina berries poison birds.
Somebody found a bunch of dead cedar waxwings in their yards.
Upon examination, the deceased birds were stuffed to the gills with nandina berries.
What Is Nandina?
It’s alsoextremely hard to removeand grows back easily.
The berries are among the few that last all winter.
One reason is that birds don’t really like them.
They only eat them after they’ve exhausted all other food sources.
Why Are Nandina Berries Toxic?
Eating too many of these berries can be fatal to birds, animals, and humans.
It’s best to keep this plant far away from your pets as a precaution.
If you suspect that your pet has eaten any berries, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
While a couple or three berries might sicken a bird, it will rarely kill them.
However, an overdose could leave the bird dead within minutes.
Unfortunately, cedar waxwings don’t stop with a couple or three.
This is apparently what happened in Thomas County, Georgia.
They stripped some nandinas.
Cut off the sprays of white flowers in spring.
No flowers, no berries.
This also stops seedlings from popping up, which native plant enthusiasts consider invasive.
Purchase A Sterile Variety
Second, buy improved, sterile nandinas that don’t flower or fruit.
They’re very easy to grow and require little care.
If you love the look of the bright red berries, consider plantingwinterberry holly(Ilex verticillata)instead.
Believe it or not, nandina shrubs are still sold across the nation regardless of their invasive status.
You’ll thank us later.
