“Soft caress,” indeed! You’ll barely recognize this shade dweller as an Oregon grape when it sends up its long slender foliage without a single thorn. Its spikes of fragrant, lemon yellow flowers bloom from fall through winter, and will add a jolt to any shady bed. But the large clusters of silver-blue berries that follow the blooms are what I look forward to most. For the best results, give this drought-tolerant perennial afternoon shade, well-draining soil, and plenty of water the first year. -Leslie Finical Halleck, Fine Gardening # 147 (October 2012), page 74
Noteworthy CharacteristicsFragrant yellow flowers on thornless stems.
CareGive 'Soft Caress' plenty of water during its first year.
PropagationSow seed outdoors in a seedbed or in pots as soon as ripe or in the fall. Stratify seeds for best germination rates. Root semi-ripe or leaf-bud cuttings from late summer to autumn.
ProblemsRust, leaf spots, galls, scale insects, and whiteflies.
- Genus : Mahonia
- Plant Height : 3 to 6 feet
- Plant Width : 3 to 6 feet
- Zones : 7, 8, 9
- Foliage Color : Black
- Moisture : Dry to Medium
- Bloom Time : Fall, Winter
- Plant Seasonal Interest : Fall Interest
- Maintenance : Low
- Growth Rate : Moderate
- Light : Partial Shade to Full Shade
- Plant Type : Perennials
- Uses : Shade
- Characteristics : Showy Foliage, Showy Fruit
- Flower Color : Yellow
Plant Characteristics are only available to Fine Gardening members
Sign up for a free trial and get instant access to our complete plant guide as well as our entire collection of articles and videos.
