Mahonia plants
Mahonia are splendid, shade-loving plants treasured for their year round colour and interest with evergreen foliage, scented winter/spring flowers and late summer fruits. They produce large, showy, golden-yellow or sometimes cabaret red flowers through the winter and into the spring. These provide a valuable source of nectar and pollen for winter-active bees and beneficial insects at a time when little else is in flower. The flowers are followed by small purple-blue fruits (or grapes) in late summer which can last well into the autumn. Mahonia plants have pointed, spiky, fresh green leaves that look stunning when underplanted with contrasting foliage plants such as Bergenia or Fringe Cups. Some varieties such as Mahonia Charity are tall growing reaching 4+ metres, well suited to larger gardens or the back of a shaded border, whilst others such as Mahonia Cabaret and Mahonia Apollo are much daintier, reaching little more than a metre tall, making them suitable for containers or the front of a shaded border. Commonly known as the Oregon grape given its North American origins and naturally adapted to woodland conditions, Mahonia are easy to grow and trouble-free.