They are closely related to the genus Berberis and botanists disagree on whether to recognize a separate Mahonia. Mahonia is a somewhat unusual family of shrubs, known for their great texture and shade-friendly nature. Vegetables + Lamb's Lettuce. Delicate clusters of pure white blooms on short stalks appear above rich, dark green leaves. Partial to full sun. It is an evergreen shrub growing 1 m (3 ft) to 3 m (10 ft) tall by 1.5 m (5 ft) wide, with pinnate leaves consisting of spiny leaflets, and dense clusters of yellow flowers in early spring, followed by dark bluish-black berries. Soft Caress Mahonia is a dwarf variety with a compact habit. Yellow Wild Indigo. For a filler companion to ‘Soft Caress’ Mahonia try the very dwarf, evergreen, weeping ‘Purple Pixie’ Loropelatum. They range from dwarf, ground-hugging varieties which may reach 16 in. Mahonia aquifolium, the Oregon grape, is a species of flowering plant in the family Berberidaceae, native to western North America. Rhododendrons have no final size and can grow almost indefinitely. In early winter, bright-yellow flowers stand atop the slender, bamboo-like foliage like fingers of light. Plant Description: Compact broadleaved evergreen. They’re closely related to Barberry plants, and they share many similar traits. A PLANT that comes into its own at this time of year is the Mahonia “Winter Sun”. These winter blooms provide an invaluable source of pollen and nectar for winter-active bees and other pollinators when there’s little else in flower. The low growing Chinese Holly Grape (Mahonia lamariifolia) is more reminiscent of the lower growing Oregon grapes. It can be found as far north as SE Alaska and eastern Alberta to central New Mexico. Choose varieties that will grow in scale appropriate for your landscape needs. All have opposite leaves, which may be mid- to dark green but are frequently grayish. Nervosa refers to the fan-like veins in its leaves. Sku #6092. The most common types are listed below. From evergreen flowering shrubs to dwarf evergreen shrubs, here are our favorite varieties … Mahonia Soft Caress is the first Mahonia of its kind with spine-free leaves, which means it can be planted near to paths or doorways with out the fear of being prickled as you might with traditional Mahonia varieties that have holly-like leaves. Knowing about Dwarf Nandina and Mahonia life span is important as life cycles vary. Low Oregon Grape The Barberry Family–Berberidaceae Mahonia nervosa (Pursh) Nutt. Soft Caress is a tough little shrub overall, and is even pest and disease resistant. Whether you live in the snowy North or the sunny South, evergreens provide year-round color, texture, and privacy. The habit varies from flat and spreading, to mounding, and, in a few cases, upright. Clusters of bright yellow … An award-winning variety, Soft Caress Mahonia allows you to enjoy the good features without the bad. However, the sharp foliage of the Chinese Mahonia requires gloves or a particularly careful touch, which makes pruning difficult. The “Soft Caress” removes this potentially painful aspect of the Mahonia entirely, with its soft feather-like foliage. A coarse textured flowering shrub, it does best in a somewhat shaded location. Mahonia repens works well as a ground cover, (shade or semi-shade) We also have the interspecific hybrids including - Mahonia x media, these are early flowering varieties, closer to fall than spring. Japanese skimmia (Skimmia japonica) is an evergreen shrub that thrives in shade or partial shade. Compound leaves have a fern-like appearance. The foliage is not thick and spiny but is delicate and gray green. in 10 years (40 cm) to giant tree-like specimens as tall as 20 ft. or more (6 m). Pratia. Dwarf evergreen shrubs with foliar color ranging from shades of green to yellow. Mahonia are evergreen shrubs and most, but not all, are fully hardy in the UK tolerating cold as far down as -15°C. Trees-Acacia. The group of Mahonia known as M. x media are all upright varieties and illustrated below above center and right is 'Charity' which has lovely yellow fragrant flowers. Short yellow flower spikes. 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. Light Needs. Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' PP20183 Few plants offer the texture that ‘Soft Caress’ provides the shade garden. While the foliage of this small shrub is evergreen, the new leaf growth is reddish-bronze, mature foliage is green in the summer and turns purple-burgundy during fall and winter. Mahonia Varieties. Mahonia Soft Caress is the first Mahonia of its kind with spine-free leaves, which means it can be planted near to paths or doorways with out the fear of being prickled as you might with traditional Mahonia varieties that have holly-like leaves.