With the mahonia, Mother Nature created a jewel among ornamental trees. Attributes such as evergreen foliage, golden-yellow flowers and edible berries make gardeners' hearts beat faster. If you still have unanswered questions, you can find competent answers here.

Mahonia brings spring into the garden

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant mahonia correctly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. The right planting distance
  5. What soil does the plant need?
  6. What is the best planting time?
  7. When is flowering time?
  8. Cut mahonia correctly
  9. water mahonia
  10. Fertilize mahonia properly
  11. Diseases
  12. hibernate
  13. multiply mahonia
  14. How do I plant correctly?
  15. Mahonia in a pot
  16. Is mahonia poisonous?
  17. brown leaves
  18. What is the difference between mahonia and barberry?
  19. Beautiful varieties

    20. Plant mahonia correctly

    Before you start planting, place the potted root ball in a bucket of lukewarm water. Then loosen the soil thoroughly and create a spacious planting pit. If the soil quality is not optimal, add soil additives such as compost, horn shavings (€32.93) or sand. Follow these steps:

    • Unpot the plant and place it in the middle of the pit
    • Plant deep enough that the top of the root ball is a few inches below the soil
    • Press the substrate and water immediately

    In the bucket, spread a drainage over the water drain in the bottom as an effective prevention against waterlogging. Suitable materials are potsherds, grit or expanded clay.(19.73€)

    care tips

    There is hardly an ornamental shrub that is easier to care for. Water the mahonia in the bed when it is dry and in the bucket regularly. With the beginning of the sprouting, the plant is happy about a start fertilization in the form of compost or liquid fertilizer. After the hibernation, thin out the wood thoroughly. Ideally, the plant should receive a form and maintenance cut immediately after flowering. In order for the mahonia to develop an opaque privacy screen as a hedge, it can also be cut repeatedly during the year to encourage the shoots to branch out vigorously. As long as it's not freezing or the sun is shining, you can use the secateurs without hesitation.

    Which location is suitable?

    Mahonia is considered to be extremely site-tolerant. The magnificent shrub achieves its optimum in partial shade. The plant thrives in a sunny location as long as the soil is moist enough. In addition, the ornamental tree does not refuse the enchanting bloom even in the shady location. The flexibility continues with regard to the soil conditions, because whether as a hedge or as a solitary mahonia happily spreads its roots in any normal garden soil.

    The right planting distance

    The tall species and varieties come into their own in a solitary setting. In this case plant one shrub per square meter. If the plant functions as an opaque hedge, the growth width defines the planting distance. For the majestic mahonia 'Winter Sun' with a width of 80 to 150 cm, you are exactly right with a distance of 100 cm to the neighbor. Of the dwarf variety 'Apollo' you should ideally plant 3 specimens per meter.

    What soil does the plant need?

    Oregon grape feels in good hands in common garden soil. Ideally, the soil is humic, sandy-loamy and rich in nutrients. The top priority is first-class permeability, because the shrub does not want to be confronted with waterlogging. Cultivated in a planter, a commercially available potting soil based on compost, which is enriched with a few handfuls of lava granules (€13.99) or expanded clay, is therefore suitable.

    What is the best planting time?

    Irrespective of whether the mahonia acts as a solitary shrub or an opulent hedge, the planting period extends over the entire growing season. The ornamental tree has ideal starting conditions for a long plant life if it is planted in the sun-warmed soil in autumn.

    When is flowering time?

    At no time of the year do you have to do without the enchanting panicle blossom of a mahonia. The shrub is available in a variety of species and cultivars, each with different flowering times. For example, if you combine the following varieties in a hedge, there is always a flower to admire:

    • Winter Sun (Mahonia media): Flowering period from January to April
    • Mahonia bealei (Mahonia bealei): flowering period from the end of February to April
    • Common mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium): flowering period from April to May
    • Chinese mahonia (Mahonia bealei) Flowering period from June to August
    • Charity (Mahonia x media) Flowering period from September to November
    • Hivernant (Mahonia japonica): flowering period from November to February

    Cut mahonia correctly

    Mahonia is one of the pruning-tolerant ornamental trees. This property implies that corrective interventions on the hedge or on the bush with scissors are possible at any time during the year. It is best to carry out the central pruning after flowering, as at other times there is a risk of accidentally removing the buds that have already formed. In addition, the shrub should be thoroughly thinned out in early spring by cutting off all dead wood at the base.

    water mahonia

    Under normal weather conditions, the undemanding shrub is satisfied with the natural amount of rain. Only when it is dry in summer do you water the plant directly onto the tree grate. The substrate dries out faster in the bucket, so the moisture content should be checked every few days in order to water if necessary.

    Fertilize mahonia properly

    The deep-rooted shrub takes care of itself in sufficiently nutrient-rich soil. In rather poor soil and in pots, however, we recommend starting fertilization in spring with compost or liquid fertilizer, which should be refreshed every 2-3 weeks during the flowering period. Winter-blooming varieties will happily accept a mulch layer of nutritious leaf soil or compost, which also protects the soil better from freezing temperatures.

    Diseases

    If the plant is weakened as a result of negligence in care, the following diseases will strike mercilessly:

    • Mildew: Treat with a 1:9 mix of fresh milk and water
    • Rust disease: If there are red and yellow pustules on the leaves, make a radical cut back

    hibernate

    In the Central European climate, only the common mahonia has unconditional winter hardiness. Cultivated varieties have lost some of their frost resistance in favor of their beauty. The evergreen ornamental trees are all sensitive to the intense winter sun. Therefore, give the shrub the following winter protection:

    • Before the first frost, spread a layer of mulch from leaves, needle brushwood or compost
    • Protect the shoots from the sun in winter with reed mats or jute ribbons
    • Cover the tub with several layers of bubble wrap and place on a block of wood
    • Move the shrub in the planter to a shady location during the winter

    Since the plant wears its green foliage all year round, evaporation continues at a reduced level in winter. Therefore, water the shrub and hedge every now and then on a frost-free day.

    multiply mahonia

    A garden gem like mahonia understandably arouses the desire for more specimens. Choose one of the following methods of propagation:

    • Cut cuttings in summer to put them in the ground in a partially shaded location
    • Division of the root ball in autumn or spring
    • Cut off vital runners and put them in the new place in the ground

    In addition, you can harvest the berries and extract the seeds from them. After stratification, sow the light germs preferably from behind glass and nurture the seedlings until they are planted out from a height of 20 cm.

    How do I plant correctly?

    The mahonia copes well with a change of location if it is carried out during the sap rest. Cut back the shrub by about a third to compensate for the lost root volume. Then cut off the roots over a wide area and lift the plant out of the ground in order to plant it in the new place without further delay. A plentiful supply of water over the next few weeks determines the success of the campaign.

    Mahonia in a pot

    There is no doubt that caring for a mahonia in a pot is a little more extensive than in the garden bed. However, the effort remains manageable, as the following list of all important measures shows:

    • Check regularly with a thumb test whether there is a need for watering
    • Water the plant directly on the root area and do not sprinkle
    • Fertilize liquid every 2-3 weeks from the beginning of the shoot until the end of the flowering period
    • Before winter, cover the earth with foliage and protect the shoots from the sun with jute ribbons
    • Water the evergreen plant from time to time on frost-free days

    So that the shrub in the pot does not grow too much for you, cut it back by a third immediately after flowering. In addition, the plant should be thinned out after the winter.

    Is mahonia poisonous?

    The use of mahonia berries as jam or fruit wine should not hide the slight poisonous content of the plant. All parts contain toxic berbin. The shrub is of concern primarily for small children up to the age of 3 years and for pets. If the berries are eaten raw, they cause unpleasant symptoms of poisoning, such as vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhea.

    brown leaves

    Brown leaves in spring indicate frost damage or burns from the intense winter sun. Thanks to the robust pruning tolerance of a mahonia, remove the discolored, frozen leaves to make room for new growth. For the next winter season, we recommend protecting the shrub and hedge with raffia or reed mats.

    What is the difference between mahonia and barberry?

    There is no doubt that Oregon grape and barberry are botanically closely related. However, the classification into a common or separate plant genus is still a matter of controversy among botanists. Nevertheless, the following differences are obvious, which distinguish a Mahonia from a Bergeritze:

    • Panicle-like inflorescences
    • Evergreen, imparipinnate foliage
    • No thorns
    • Edible berries

    At the latest when you reach for a barberry, you will become painfully aware of an essential difference to mahonia, because this shrub is covered with sharp thorns.

    Beautiful varieties

    • Winter Sun: Magnificent winter bloomer as a specimen and hedge from January to April with light yellow flowers; Growth height 150-200 cm
    • Apollo: Compact plant with thorny, serrated foliage that turns reddish in winter; Growth height 50-80 cm
    • Ornate mahonia: a top-class shrub thanks to its light yellow flowers and blue-black frosted fruits; Growth height 200 cm
    • Orange Flame: The plant captivates with bright orange autumn foliage; the ideal shrub for the tub; Growth height 50 cm
    • Creeping Mahonia: Ground cover plant for shady locations, which eagerly forms runners; Growth height 30 cm
    • Hivernant: Beautiful Japanese Oregon Grape flowering in yellow from November to February; Growth height 100-150 cm
    • Charity: Autumn flowering shrub for almost all locations from sunny to shady; Growth height 200 cm

Category:

Trees