Mahonia bealei - Leatherleaf mahonia

Approximately seventy species of Mahonia are native to Central and North America and Asia. The genus Mahonia is very closely related to the barberries (Berberis.) Leatherleaf mahonia is native to China. It is an upright shrub with large, spiny leaves. An old plant is fairly open because the stems have few branches and leaves are mostly at the stem tips. It has attractive yellow flowers in winter followed by small blue fruits.

This is an easy shrub for a shady spot in a northeast Florida garden. It is adaptable to a wide range of conditions except soggy soils.