Oregon-grape
Clusters of flowers - bronzed leaves
On rough ground on brown field site
Closer view of cluster
Berries and holly-like leaves
Mahonia japonica
Mahonia aquifolium
Berberidaceae
February to April
The garden plant is found throughout the country.
The naturalised escape is also widely distributed, but
is less common in the far Southwest, the Southeast
and the North.
See the BSBI distribution map for Oregon-grape
It is a well established naturalised escape found in woods,
hedges, brownfield sites and by country paths and roads.
It is a neophyte, introduced from the US in the 1820s, and
known in the wild since the the 1870s.
Oregon-grape is an evergreen, stoloniferous shrub,
growing up to 1.5m.
The flowers are in erect clusters.
The leaves are dark green with prickles, resembling
holly, and may turn bronze in winter.
The related Mahonia japonica has showy yellow
flowers in long spikes and is in flower from
November onwards, but does not appear to be
naturalised.
Previous page: Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage
Next page: Primrose
Clusters of flowers - bronzed leaves
On rough ground on brown field site
Closer view of cluster
Berries and holly-like leaves
Mahonia japonica
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