Rob Jones Rob Jones

Plant of the Month: Mahonia

Mahonia eurybracteata sbsq. ganpinensis ‘Soft Caress’



Growing up, I firmly filed the common mahonia under “car park shrub”. Tough, spiky, vaguely menacing. How wrong I was.

That said, I’ll stand by one thing: getting snagged by a mahonia leaf is no joke. If you’re pruning one, invest in gloves sturdy enough for Kes to perch on.

In reality Mahonia’s bring real presence to the garden, with winding stems and gnarled bark that create striking structure all year round. In autumn and winter they truly come into their own, carrying the garden through the quieter months and bursting into bloom from late autumn through January. Their bright yellow flowers may be small, but they’re packed into dramatic spikes or clusters that glow against dark foliage and grey skies.

These flowers are a magnet for wildlife: bees, butterflies, ladybirds and other pollinators flock to them when there is less on offer. Later, silvery-purple berries follow, which are eagerly snapped up by birds.

Mahonias are best described as “architectural” evergreens. They have a bold, sculptural quality, with glossy, jagged leaflets arranged along long leaves, often likened to holly. This spiky form adds contrast and texture, especially effective in shaded areas where many plants struggle to shine.

Of course, there’s always an exception. Enter Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’. Unlike its tougher cousins, this variety has a soft, flexible habit and fine, willowy leaves that move gently with the slightest breeze — proof that mahonia’s can be elegant as well as bold.

There are around 70 species in the garden, but here are a few of my favourites from the RHS:

  • Mahonia × media 'Charity' (AGM): A robust, upright shrub reaching 4m, producing fragrant yellow flowers from late autumn to winter.

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