Mahonia

Texas, TX, Sun City, Williamson County, Georgetown, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Landscape Design, Landscaping, Gardening, Garden, outdoors, plants, local, sustainable, shrubs, type of shrubs to grow in central Texas, type of shrubs to grow in the Austin area, Mahonia
Texas, TX, Sun City, Williamson County, Georgetown, Round Rock, Cedar Park, Landscape Design, Landscaping, Gardening, Garden, outdoors, plants, local, sustainable, shrubs, type of shrubs to grow in central Texas, type of shrubs to grow in the Austin area, Mahonia

Mahonia bealei 

Aka: Beale's Barberry

Size: 4-8' x 4-5'

Lighting requirements: part sun to shade

Seasonal interest: Early spring blooms followed by clusters of berries

Winter: Stays green


Leatherleaf Mahonia is drought-tolerant and moderately salt-tolerant. I've seen them do very well here. They aren't my cup of tea because of the thorns, but if you have a shade garden they can be perfect! Mahonia's Flowers attract bees and the berries attract birds. 

There is a new variety available now called 'Soft Caress' (Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'). It's smaller(3-4'), more compact, and lacking the thorns! I love the look of this plant, it should do well here, but I haven't seen a happy established one yet. I have a very unhappy one and have clients who have lost multiple. If you live in Central Texas and have an established one that's doing well, please reach out! At this point, I cannot recommend this popular new plant.