Mahonia gracilipes
(Chinese Mahonia)
Family - Berberidaceae
Category - Shrub
Origin - China
Discovered By - First described by Ernst Faber, introduced by Roy Lancaster
Year of Introduction - 1980
Hardiness - H5
Height - 1m
Width - 1m
Location - The Spring Garden, The Terrace
Description: A small, Evergreen Shrub with a bushy habit and spreading branches. Pinnate leaves have Elliptic to oblong leaflets with toothed, spiny margins. The leaves are grey-green and have silvery white undersides when young. The leaves mature to dark green. Plum purple buds open to small, cup-and-saucer-shaped flowers with deep maroon outer petals and creamy white inner petals. The flowers are held in Racemes with bright red stems. The Racemes are held in loose bunches and produced from late summer into mid-autumn and are followed by round, deep blue berries.
Flower:
Small, round, plum purple buds open to cup-and-saucer-shaped flowers. The outer petals are rich maroon-red and the inner petals are creamy white. The flowers are held in loosely bunched racemes with bright red stems and are produced from August (sometimes late July) into October. The flowers are followed by round, deep blue berries.
Flower colour: Maroon, white
Flower shape: Cup-and-saucer-shaped flowers held in racemes
Flowering time: August, September, October
Foliage:
Pinnate leaves with Elliptic to oblong leaflets have toothed, spiny margins. The leaves are grey-green with white undersides when young and become dark green with age. The leaves are Alternately arranged on the branches.
Foliage Senescence: Evergreen
Foliage Shape: Pinnate with elliptic to oblong leaflets
Propagation:
Cuttings, seed.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun to partial shade in reasonably fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained.