Heavenly bamboo is an evergreen shrub with compound, somewhat lacy leaves and sprays of red berries that persist through the winter. Its multistemmed, canelike clumps make it superficially resemble bamboo. Leaves are alternate, large, two- or three-times compound, mostly clustered toward the top of the woody stems. Grows to be 4-8' tall and 2-4' wide.

Nandina domestica