Mahonia bealei

The Mahonia bealei is a hardy evergreen bush that is easy to grow, valued for its unique silhouette and its flowering with short inflorescences, upright clusters of lemon yellow flowers that are pleasantly scented. It has several slender and erect trunks, topped with large, shiny foliage that is tough and compound, with numerous toothed and spiny leaflets resembling holly leaves. Its flowers are followed by clusters of ovoid fruits, purplish blue with a whitish bloom, reflecting the light. With its exotic appearance, it is a compact bush with an architectural habit that should be showcased to create a colorful screen in all seasons, in the background of a shaded flower bed. Very adaptable, it is a bush that thrives in all but very dry soils and shady locations. It tolerates the sun better in soil that remains moist throughout the year.

The Mahonia bealei belongs to the Berberidaceae family. It is a very hardy species, native to China and has long been cultivated as an ornamental bush. It eventually forms a beautiful bush 3m (10ft) high and 2m (7ft) wide, with an initially upright habit that spreads. Its growth is quite slow, making it a bush of reasonable size, not invasive and well-behaved. Growing on multiple stems, this Mahonia has a weakly spreading erect habit supported by sparse branches. The evergreen foliage is composed of long leaves arranged in rosettes on the stems. Reaching a length of 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in), they are divided into 10 to 19 leaflets arranged in an opposite manner along the central vein, on an almost horizontal plane. Each leaflet, lanceolate in shape, has a tough texture and a spiny and undulate margin. The color of the young foliage is a strong glaucous green. The long-lasting flowering occurs in the heart of winter, from December to February, at a time when few other plants are attractive. The inflorescences are upright to slightly arching, arranged in rosettes at the tips of the young stems. These clusters, measuring up to 10 cm (4 in), are composed of numerous small campanulate flowers with lemon yellow color, fragrant and nectar-rich which contrasts nicely with the bluish color of the leaves. Their scent is somewhat reminiscent of lily of the valley, but lighter. They give way to small purplish blue berries covered with a whitish bloom, decorative and mildly toxic to humans, but highly appreciated by birds.

Flowering in the heart of winter, with numerous upright and then arching yellow panicles, the Mahonia bealei becomes the focal point in the garden when other plants are dormant. It can replace, on a smaller scale, the southern mimosa for gardeners in cold regions, both in the garden and in bouquets. Its original and highly structured habit will transform a flower bed or a large shaded rockery. For example, plant with ferns and the blue flowers of liverworts or wood hyacinths in cool and shaded areas. To hide the somewhat bare base of the bush, consider perennial geraniums, autumn daisies, or shrubby germander (Teucrium chamaedrys), which is evergreen and not demanding. A group of 3 plants placed in a triangle will create a quite spectacular display. If placed at the corner of a terrace or porch, it will perfume the air and bring color close to the house during the dreary days of winter. Gardeners without a garden can plant it in a large container on the terrace or balcony, paired for example with dwarf bamboos. This Mahonia can also be part of a mixed hedge, with other evergreen bushes or in a defensive hedge with barberries and eleagnus.