Mahonia bealei 'Silver Back'

Family - Berberidaceae
Category - Shrub
Origin - China
Discovered By - Mikinori Ogisu
Season of Interest - Spring, Autumn, Winter
Hardiness - H5
Height - 2m or more
Location - The Woodland Walk

Description: Medium-sized Evergreen Shrub with spiny, pinnate leaves that are blue-green on the upper surfaces and silvery-white on the undersides. Fragrant, bright yellow cup and saucer-shaped flowers in Racemes are produced from late autumn into winter and are followed by blue-green berries. 'Silver Back' is a rare but particularly good clone of Mahonia bealei commonly found growing wild in China. Discovered by Mikinori Ogisu, a Japanese botanist and plantsman.

Flower:

Fragrant, bright yellow, cup and saucer-shaped flowers in short racemes are produced from November into February. Flowers are followed by blue-green berries.

Flower colour: Yellow

Flower shape: Cup and saucer-shaped flowers in racemes

Flowering time: November, December, January, February

Foliage:

Pinnate leaves have spiny, ovate leaflets that are blue-green on the upper surfaces and silvery-white on the undersides.

Foliage Senescence: Evergreen

Foliage Shape: Pinnate with ovate leaflets

Propagation:

Cuttings.

Cultivation:

Best in partial shade to shade in moisture retentive, but well drained soil.