Mahonia Bush

Mahonia bealei also called leatherleaf mahonia or beale s barberry is originally from china but has been available to western gardeners for generations.

Mahonia bush. They are closely related to the genus berberis and botanists disagree on whether to recognize a separate mahonia. It doesn t require sunlight and will grow perfectly fine in the shade. Mahonia species also grow in other regions of the united states as well as china and japan. Mahonia japonica bealei sku 6090 an attractive upright shrub with distinctive evergreen foliage and terminal clusters of showy fragrant yellow flowers followed by highly ornamental powder blue to black grape like fruit clusters.

It s a medium sized bush that reminds you of holly but with compound leaves borne on upright stems. Outside of oregon they are often called grape holly due to their thick spined leaves and blue berries. Grows 1012 feet high and 10 feet wide with strong pattern of vertical stems horizontal foliage. Mahonia are generaly pest free so aphids are not a problem but they can suffer from rust and powdery mildew.

Mahonia s effected by rust will have black spots on there leaves with yellow around the edges it is simular to rust commonly found on garden roses and can be treated which a garden fungicide. Oregon grape holly mahonia aquifolium is a handsome 3 to 6 foot ornamental shrub that can play a number of roles in the garden. The shrub s appearance changes with the seasons. In spring the branches bear long hanging clusters of lightly fragrant yellow flowers which give way to dark blue berries in summer.

Mahonia is a genus of approximately 70 species of evergreen shrubs and rarely small trees in the family berberidaceae native to eastern asia the himalaya north and central america. If for any reason you must plant it in the sun avoid places that would be too hot and if possible favor part sun. A coarse textured flowering shrub it does best in a somewhat shaded location. Plant your mahonia in fall or spring but avoid frost spells and high temperatures.

Mahonia eurybracteata soft caress is the first commercially available spineless mahonia. Leaves over 1 feet long divided into 7 to 15 broad leathery leaflets to 5in. Mahonia are native plants that grow profusely throughout the pacific northwest. It loves cool soil with a lot of humus.

It was plant of the year at the rhs chelsea flower show in 2013 and is becoming more widely available.