Plant Min Zone: 5b
Plant Max Zone: 9a
Sunlight: Part Sun, Shade, Deep Shade
Water / Rainfall: Low, Average, High
Soil Quality: Poor, Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Winter, Early Spring
Flower Color: Yellow
Berry / Fruit Color: Bluish Black
Spring Foliage Color: Bluish Green
Summer Foliage Color: Dark Green, Bluish Green
Fall Foliage Color: Dark Green, Bluish Green
Evergreen Foliage: Yes
Winter Interest: Yes
Scented Flowers: Yes
Drought Tolerance: Medium, High
Wet-Feet Tolerance: Low
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Low, Medium
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils, Rocky Soils, Sandy Soils
Height: 3' - 5'
Width: 2' - 4'
Growth Rate: Slow, Extremely Slow
Service Life: Extremely long: over 20 years
Maintenance Need: Almost Zero Maintenance
Spreading Potential: Low
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Shrub to Desired Size in Spring: Blooms on Old Wood in Winter.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5
Best Side of House: South Exposure, West Exposure, East Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Root-Bound Soils Under Tree
Ornamental Features: Large Tropical Foliage / Flowers, Long Lasting Fall Color, Multiple Seasons of Interest, Bright Winter Color, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: May get Occasional Winter-kill, Needs Thick Winter Mulch, Slow to Reach Mature Size, Short / Unreliable Blooming Season, Has Thorns
Leatherleaf Mahonia (Mahonia bealei) is a slow-growing coarse-textured evergreen shrub with bright green holly-like leaflets. The leaves are prickly and make a fine barrier or specimen plant. Native to continental climates in China, Mahonia bealei can be invasive in Eastern US woods where its shade tolerance and slow evergreen growth eventually shade out native plants. This is not a problem in Kansas due to extreme winters and dryer conditions. Flowering tries to occur in mid to late winter in Kansas but are usually frozen before they can open. During a "once in 5 years" mild winter if temperatures stay above 0 degrees F, fragrant, lemon-yellow flowers do develop. Even more rare is to have a long enough warm spell in winter to allow the beautiful blackish-blue fruit to develop afterward. If they do, they will be enjoyed by birds but any small seedlings that do germinate are killed by ground freezes the next winter. Leatherleaf Mahonia is very drought tolerant when established making it an ideal dry-shade plant; the 40 inches of typical rainfall in Eastern Kansas is sufficient if planted in rototilled soils. This could be one of the most cold-tolerant broadleaf evergreens available! It survived -16 degrees F and a week of single digit highs in February, 2021 with no damage. It even maintains bright green foliage in winter opposed to a dingy brownish-green like some evergreens. In Eastern Kansas, this species performs WELL with just about everything nature has to challenge it! Heat and drought are tolerated if in shade or morning sun. Cold tolerance is no problem. Invasiveness is not a problem. No disease or pest problems. And again, this is a great evergreen plant for difficult dry-shade situations under mature trees where lawn won't grow.