Mahonia fremontii

Desert Mahonia
Berberidaceae
Evergreen, Shrubs, Decorative fruit or berries, Flowers

MAHONIA

Related to barberry (Berberis) and described under that name by some botanists. Easy to grow; good looking all year. Typically spiny-edged leaves are divided into leaflets; foliage can be quite prickly, so avoid setting mahonias too close to walkways or in other areas where they might snag passersby. Yellow flowers are borne in dense, rounded to spike-like clusters and followed by berrylike, typically blue or blue-black (sometimes red or brown) fruit with a powdery bloom. Generally disease resistant, though foliage is sometimes disfigured by a small looper caterpillar. Fruit of all mahonias attracts birds. In general, pruning is needed only to remove old, damaged stems or to correct rank growth; cut those stems all theway to the ground.

Mahonia fremontii

Nativeto deserts of the Southwest.Upright, many-stemmed plant to3–12 ft. tall, 6 ft. wide. Gray-greento yellowish green leaves,each with three to five thickleaflets that are edged with verysharp, tough spines. Flowers in1–1 1/2-in.-long clusters in latespring; dark blue to brown fruit.Full sun or light shade. Little orno water.