Mahonia Plant

Whilst other plants seem to be slumbering in the cold time of winter, the evergreen mahonia plant, with a silent contentious spirit bears its lovely yellow scented blossoms. In the crisply cold air, where the beauty of other shrubs and plants seems to dwindle, this flowering plant stands out as one of the perfect options to bring back life and adornment to your garden when snow has spread it's cold white blanket over most other shrubbery.

The mahonia plant is originally from Asia- around the stately Himalayas and China. It was brought from China to Europe in the 1800s. The luscious purple berries of this plant attracted many a bird and its seeds brought by way of flight made way for some species of the mahonia plant to travel to USA, naturally, and take root in the landscapes there.

Scientific Classification of Mahonia

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Berberidaceae
Genus:	Mahonia

There are about 45 species of mahonia in Asia, and around 16 in North and Central America. There are some in parts of Europe too.

The botanist Bernard McMahon undertook the first overland expedition by the United States called Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Coast and back. He introduced the plant to the United States and being named in his honor, the shrub came to be called Mahonia. There have been over 70 species of the mahonia plant recorded by far.

Mahonia Species in Asia

• Mahonia bealei
• Mahonia bodinieri
• Mahonia bracteolata
• Mahonia breviracema
• Mahonia conferta
• Mahonia confusa
• Mahonia decipiens
• Mahonia duclouxiana
• Mahonia eurybracteata
• Mahonia fordii
• Mahonia fortunei
• Mahonia gracillipes
• Mahonia hancockiana
• Mahonia japonica
• Mahonia leptodonta
• Mahonia lomariifolia
• Mahonia longibracteata
• Mahonia mairei
• Mahonia media
• Mahonia monyulensis
• Mahonia napaulensis
• Mahonia nitens
• Mahonia oiwakensis
• Mahonia setosa
• Mahonia sheniii
• Mahonia sheridaniana
• Mahonia siamensis
• Mahonia taroneasis
• Mahonia veitchiorum

Mahonia Species in North and Central America

• Mahonia aquifolium
• Mahonia arguta
• Mahonia dictyota
• Mahonia eutriphylla
• Mahonia fremontii
• Mahonia gracilis
• Mahonia haematocarpa
• Mahonia nervosa
• Mahonia nevinii
• Mahonia pinnata
• Mahonia pumila
• Mahonia repens
• Mahonia swaseyi
• Mahonia toluacensis
• Mahonia trifolia

Mahonia grows up to 10 feet (about 3 meters tall). They are capable of spreading within a diameter of 2 and a half meters. It is quite a sturdy plant fringed with beautifully thick blue-green, pinnate leaves that have an ovate base and are glossy.

Although the mahonia plant looks strong, cannot withstand too much of the scorching sun and harsh weather with whipping winds as it is a shade loving shrub. This plant grows best when it is shielded from winds and in partial sunlight. It grows and flourishes on well-drained, moist and fertile soil. The soil pH is inclined toward being slightly acid. The soil of the mahonia, like most other shrubs, has to be fertilized at least once in a year. Although, the mahonia isn't a plant that requires constant pruning for its growth, you can always prune it for aesthetic appeal. The best time to prune it is very early spring before any new growth appears.

Around spring time, the mahonia has yellow flowers blooming upon it and make a pretty picture of the landscape they're set against. These fawningly bright yellow flowers turn into very glaucous blue-purple berries.

Most Commonly Grown Species of Mahonia

Mahonia Aquifollium
The most popularly known mahonia plant is the Oregon grape holly (Mahonia Aquifolium) resembles holly plants. It is quite widely spread in the forests of North America. A lot of gardens and parks house this plant.

The leaves of this plant are leathery and pinnate with a rather glossy upper surface and a jagged and thorny edge. The leaves are green in spring and tend to become reddish-purple as the cold approaches. The reason why a lot of plants have leaves that are reddish are because they have pigments like the antioxidant- anthocyanin, which helps them take in only blue-green light without the UV rays and less photons from the sunlight to avoid cell-damage to the leaves, thus protecting the tissues of the plant from photo-inhibition. So, hot and dry places aren't tolerated too well by this shrub.

Mahonia aquifolium has antibiotic properties and has been used medicinally to treat gall-bladder problems, ailments of the stomach such as diarrhea and dyspepsia. The roots of the plant are quite a nutritional aid for the digestive system and blood circulation. It is also used to treat the liver and kidneys. It is also available in capsule forms in drug-stores.

Mahonia Fortunei
A Scottish botanist and traveler, Robert Fortune introduced the Chinese mahonia plant to Europe in the 1800s. That is how the plant got its name. The mahonia fortunei (also called the Chinese mahonia plant) is a medium-sized shrub that grows up to 6-8 ft. It is a bit more fern-like in appearance with its fronds shooting out to form a primordial yet graceful green fountain of leaves. The leaves are 6" to 12" long, having 7 to 12 leaflets.

The light-setting that works well, for the Chinese mahonia plant to grow under, is from partial to full shade. For instance, partial shade can be under the partial filtered light seeping through mosaic of leaves of other plantation; and full shade is when it is placed amidst dun, stony shades cast by a building or your house. The north and north-eastern sides of a building are apt as there is shade on these sides for most of the time.

Regular watering for the Chinese mahonia is required in its first growing season so that you ensure for roots to grow deeper and more extensively in the soil, giving it a stable health. Later, watering can be done on a weekly basis. And in extreme heat, it is best to water it more often to keep it cool. The kind of soil it needs is sandy and clay-like. It isn't the hardiest of the mahonia plants.

The Chinese mahonia is good for foundation landscaping and looks exceptionally good in places with a modern Zen theme and ambiance.

Mahonia Japonica
Mahonia japonica (also called mahonia bealei), grows up to 8 or 10 feet, which is around 3 meters tall; and about 6 feet or 1.8 meters wide. Its blue-green leaves turn to a slowly fading gold and then to a rich red-burgundy. Its leaves like the other mahonia plants are stiff, pinnate and sharply spiny. Owing to the texture and the thickness of its leaves, the mahonia japonica is also called leather-leaf mahonia. In the time of very late winter and early spring, it begins to burst into fragrant yellow blossoms which then turn into clusters of its purple, grape-like berries. If one were to collect its seeds in late-spring, the seeds will germinate beautifully.

It is quite drought-tolerant and has a strong resistance against serious insect-problems and diseases. It shouldn't be watered over the requirement of keeping the soil firm and moist. Watering plants excessively can take away the oxygen from their roots and lead to disease such as root and stem rot.

If you know the threats that a plant may face, it is easier to know how to grow the Mahonia plant so that it thrives well whilst gardening it. Take care to see that there aren't too many weeds growing around the mahonia plant. Weeds such as sedges, broad leaves and grasses take away the nutrients that the mahonia needs. Sometimes, insects settle amidst these leaves which can pose a threat to the neighboring mahonia plant. Also look out for gray mold which can be avoided by keeping the plant dry. Other threat is armored scales and fungal infections called mahonia rusts. The kind of fertilizers that suit the plant best are organic fertilizers and there are various organic fertilizer recipes that work well with the mahonia. Mulching helps the mahonia quite a lot.

Behind the sturdy and thorny exterior of a make, mahonia plants are one of the most attractive and beautiful species of shrubs and bushes; especially, if you're considering landscaping and wanting to add to the beauty of your garden's vistas.