Mahonias are an eye-catcher all year round and require little care. They come into their own as solitaires, in groups or as a hedge.
Mahonia are attractive small shrubs that have made their way into our gardens from the forests of North America. The easy-care sour thorn plants also grow wild in our coniferous forests. We cultivate them as ornamental shrubs in the garden. Anyone who cultivates a mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium) in their own garden will be able to enjoy the pretty flowers and the colorful foliage. You can now find out what needs to be considered when caring for mahonia.
Beautiful varieties of mahonia
The Oregon grape was first described by the German-Canadian gardener and botanist Frederick Traugott Pursh in 1813. The botanical name "Mahonia aquifolium" is a composite of the Latin equivalents "acus" for tip and "folium" for the leaf. This indirectly points to the distinctive leaf tips of the mahonia.
| Mahonia (Mahonia aquifolium) | |
|---|---|
| Growth: | up to 200 cm |
| Appearance: | broad, bushy evergreen shrub |
| Floor: | nutritious, fresh, medium-heavy, slightly acidic-neutral |
| Root system: | Deep Roots |
| Location: | Sun to partial shade |
| Usage: | Solitaire, group planting, hedge |
There are numerous varieties. We would like to briefly introduce you to some of them
➛ Jupiter
The shrub grows upright and is about 1.5 meters high. The light yellow flower bells develop on the inflorescences. The plant does not form runners. A slight susceptibility to the occurrence of powdery mildew was observed in this variety.
➛ Mirena
This mahonia appears taut and strong. Growth heights of 1.3 meters are reached. The dense growth characterizes this species as well as the resistance to fungal diseases and pests. The particularly sugary and acidic berries develop from the dense, rich yellow flowers.
➛ Emerald
Also forsmaller gardens, the right mahonia is found here. The small shrub is only about 80 centimeters high, but can almost double in width. It is therefore important to ensure sufficient planting distance. Emerald is suitable as ground cover or for planting hedges. Cultivation in a bucket is also possible. The deep yellow flowers are particularly dense and form a pretty contrast to the emerald green foliage.
➛ Atropurpurea
This strain only grows about 60 centimeters in height, but expands to a meter in width. The red-brown autumn color of the leaves is particularly pretty to look at. This variety flowers between April and May. Atropurpurea makes a good container plant.
➛ Annoying mahonia
The annoying mahonia grows to a proud height of up to two meters. The leaves are blue-green in color and have thorn-like teeth on the edges. The yellow flowers are particularly persistent and are pleasing to the eye between March and June.
➛ Apollo
Apollo has remarkably large flower clusters. The dwarf shrub only grows half a meter in height, but more than a meter in width. The leaves appear brown-red after they sprout. The yolk-yellow flowers appear between April and May.
➛ Creeping Mahonia
The creeping mahonia is a small shrub about 50 centimeters high, which develops its attractive fragrant flowers in March. The foliage takes on a slightly reddish tinge in winter.
Water the mahonia correctly
The mahonia is very frugal and actually hardly needs any additional watering. Immediately after you have planted the mahonia, however, it is extremely sensitive and needs water every day for several weeks.
Tip: If possible, water the mahonia in the morning hours, then the water can be absorbed best and can penetrate to the roots.
Be careful to pour the water directly onto the soil and avoid wetting the leaves. Because damp leaves can promote the occurrence of powdery mildew.
You should also make sure that you do not water the plants too intensively. If the water accumulates in the ground, there is a risk of waterlogging and the tender roots of the young plants can quickly rot away.
Once the mahonia has grown well, the bushes can do without watering for a while. In rainy summers it hardly needs to be watered. Longer periods of drought are also survived unscathed. The floorshould not dry out completely.
Coming soon:
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- Water young plants regularly
- do not water over the leaves
- water in the morning if possible
- Avoid waterlogging
- Avoid dehydration
Fertilize mahonia correctly
If the mahonia is placed outdoors, it is not absolutely necessary to fertilize it. Its nutrient requirements are rather low, so it can thrive in a nutritious garden soil without additional fertilizer. You can top up the soil with a dose of mature compost annually. You can also mix horn shavings under the substrate. A broth of stinging nettles and horsetail is recommended for general plant strengthening.
If the mahonia is in the bucket, it needs additional nutrients. The potting soil in the bucket is not sufficient to absorb enough nutrients for months. During the growing season, between April and September, you can therefore help with doses of liquid fertilizer at intervals of four to eight weeks.
Tip: Potted plants should only be fertilized about a year after planting.
Cutting mahonia
You should trim the bush regularly to prevent the mahonia from wilting. This measure leads to better branching of the bush and also improves the flowering propensity of the plant. If you have low-growing varieties, they can be shortened after the flowering period. However, you should not cut off too much. The taller varieties, on the other hand, can tolerate a pruning of half the growth height. Old plants can also be cut back radically. This happens in early spring. Mahonia will reliably sprout again, but will not flower in the following garden year.
There are different times when you can cut back the mahonia. They depend on the type of cut:
➛ March
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- radical pruning of old plants
- Deadwood Removal
- Removing diseased and frozen branches
➛ June
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- Tapering cut, shortening by a third
- Hedge cutting
The most important care tips for speed readers
| Activity | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Casting | • Young plants must be watered regularly in the first few weeks. • The soil must not dry out completely. • Waterlogging is not tolerated. •Older plants only need to be watered if the drought persists. |
| Fertilize | • Outdoor plants do not need regular fertilizing. • Compost or plant broth can help keep the plant he althy. • Potted plants need regular liquid fertilizer or fertilizer sticks in summer. |
| Cut | • Pruning can be done in spring. • The plant tolerates pruning well • Pruning is done after flowering. • Hedges are pruned in June. |
Winter mahonia
Most mahonia species do not need any special protection in winter and can easily withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees. However, there are some measures to be taken to get the plants through the winter undamaged. A layer of foliage or a cover of garden fleece protects the soil from drying out. Even in winter, mahonia should be watered from time to time. However, this only happens on frost-free days.
Tip: Water shortage in winter is indicated by leaf fall.
Detect and fight diseases and pests on mahonia
In general, these are robust and resistant plants, which are rarely attacked by diseases and hardly ever by pests. However, there are some factors that affect the he alth of the plant. This includes an incorrect location or incorrect watering behavior.
Mildew
The mahonia is mainly attacked by powdery mildew. A distinction is made between:
- Powdery mildew
- Downy mildew
Powdery mildew
Powdery mildew is commonly referred to as the fair-weather fungus. The fungus, which mainly occurs in hot and dry summers, can be recognized by a mealy film that can cover blossoms, buds and leaves.
Prune back all affected parts of the plant generously. Disposal should be done with household waste. Plant material affected by fungus does not belong in the compost. Because the fungus also spreads unhindered on dead wood.
A proven home remedy for powdery mildew is a water-milk mixture that is used as a spray. Nine parts water are added to one part milk. The spraying should be done over several days.
Downy mildew
Downy mildew is called bad weather fungus. This is less conspicuous and is often recognized too late. This is particularly treacherous, because the fungusIn contrast to powdery mildew, which runs on the surface, penetrates into the plant tissue and can damage it permanently. The plant should be checked more frequently. Downy mildew is indicated by whitish coatings on the underside of the leaves and orange-brown spots on the upper surfaces of the leaves.
Remove all affected parts of the plant. Downy mildew is difficult to combat with home remedies. If you want to preserve the plant, you will have to use a special antifungal agent.
Rust Disease
Some varieties of mahonia are more frequently affected by rust diseases. The disease can be recognized by small pustules on the surfaces of the leaves. These can be different colored and also appear on the stems.
Cut back all affected parts of the plant. Then the disease cannot spread. Further measures are usually not necessary.