Japanese Mahonia

Mahonia Japonica

Mahonia japonica is a beautiful species of flowering plant that belongs in the Berberidacea family, native to Taiwan.  Many assume it is a native of Japan, but despite its name it is not, although it has been known in cultivation there for centuries.

This evergreen shrub is an erect, medium size with striking spiky foliage of large, leathery leaves. Long terminal clusters of lemon-yellow flowers, which smell of lily-of-the-valley, bloom over an extended period in late Autumn.  They are irresistible to pollinating insects and give way to grape-like clusters of glossy, round blue-black berries that attract birds and other wildlife.  The beautiful foliage shows off in red and purple shades when the weather turns cold and therefore is perfect for a feature plant in the garden. 

This plant enjoys part to full shade and is easily grown in fertile, humus-rich moist, well-drained soils.  You should try to protect it from drying winds, and it benefits from pruning the tips in early spring to make it a fuller, bushier specimen.  Older plants need little pruning other than the removal of dead and broken limbs.

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