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Heavenly bamboo and ʻAʻaliʻi: growing conditions and wildlife benefits.

COMMON CHOICE Heavenly bamboo Nandina domestica	NATIVE ALTERNATIVE ʻAʻaliʻi Dodonaea viscosa
	GO NATIVE
Native range
China and Japan	Hawaiʻi and many other tropical and subtropical regionsSee state guides
Sunlight
Sun to part or dappled shade	Full sun
Soil moisture
Moist, well-drained soil	Dry soil / Average moisture
Mature height
3–8 ft	2–30 ft, depending on form
Mature spread
2–5 ft	5–15 ft
USDA hardiness zones
6–9	Choose by island, elevation, and rainfall.
Season of interest
Spring flowers; fall–winter foliage and berries	Year-round foliage & seed capsules
Garden & wildlife value
Birds and small mammals eat the fruit, but the berries can harm birds.	A locally sourced Hawaiian shrub restores native evergreen structure to a sunny garden.
Growing notes
An evergreen to semi-evergreen shrub that can spread by seed and underground stems.	Choose an island-appropriate form: size varies greatly. Give it drainage and reduce watering once established; ask a local grower about elevation and rainfall.
Growing information	Growing information

Sizes describe the species; individual cultivars can differ.