MAHONIA x media 'Charity'

Description: Common name: Oregon grape 'Charity'. This popular form is one of the larger varieties and produces an abundance of deep yellow very fragrant flowers in bunches of racemes from the top of each stem from November to March. The scented flowers are frost resistant and often followed by small plum-coloured fruits. very hardy, dense, upright habit, tough plants generally pest and disease free

Uses: Mahonias are often used in gardens as they are such a valuable shrub providing sturdy evergreen foliage as a backdrop for other plants and also for providing much needed flower and colour in the winter months

Climate/Position: Can be grown in full sun or shade but happiest in partial shade

Height/Spread: Can reach up to 4 metres height and 3.5 metres spread

Soil Requirements: Moist but well drained soil. Fertile, humus rich but can tolerate dry soils once established

Pruning: Can get leggy but can be pruned hard to resume shape. Prune over 3 years taking out a third each year

Additional Interest: The name media comes from 'intermediate' meaning in the middle. It is a hybrid of Mahonia japonica and Mahonia lomariifolia