Nandina berries and birds

In your January 9 column, you suggest planting nandina. It is right after your suggestion to plant natives for birds and seems to be suggesting that it is a good plant for birds. I just recently learned from a friend who attended an Audubon conference that nandina berries contain enough cyanide to be fatal to birds who eat lots of nandina berries. Birds such as cedar waxwings who often gorge on berries could be affected. This might be a caution against planting this plant in our area. Using native berry producers would be safer while also encouraging the native insects that thrive only on native plants and also feed the birds. Thank you for your great column – I look forward to it every week! Nancy

Posted by on January 11, 2015