Well here we go again, another much loved plant has had a name change. So if you are looking for this stunning shrub in a book more than a few months old then look up Mahonia lomariifolia and it will have the same description as it is the same plant.
What ever the name is it is a plant that one can’t live without, after all it is fairly drought tolerant, shade tolerant, bird attracting, winter flowering and a great burglar deterrent!
It will easily grow to 3 or 4metres tall with compound leaves of great presence, the leaflets are spiny and somewhat Holly like and the bark is whitish and heavily furrowed and if it did nothing else I would plant it.
Its upright habit is commendable in narrow spaces and when early winter arrives it will produce upright sprays of brilliant yellow, scented bird attracting flowers followed in spring by bird attracting blue-black berries.
It can be pruned to the socks if needs be although I like a tall upright specimen that I can look through at eye level and appreciate the bark.
I guess the only down side is the very prickly dead leaves that will stick in your hand whilst weeding but this problem can be solved by sending in the under gardener! I have well grown plants in 10″ pots at $39.50 so make sure you have at least one before this winter.
