Magonia holly - a beautiful shrub with healing berries. Holly mahonia Holly mahonia reproduction

Magonia (Mahonia) is an evergreen shrub or small tree of the Barberry family.

Magonia description

V wild nature mahonia is common in North America and various regions of Eastern and Central Asia. Magonia is the closest relative of the barberry and got its name in honor of the American gardener McMahon. One of the varieties of this evergreen shrub is common in middle lane Russia - this is holly mahonia, it also has one name - Oregon grapes. In our conditions, the shrub grows no more than 1.5 meters in height. In central Russia, the shrub freezes above the snow level, mahonia is not whimsical to the composition of the soil, but grows well on fertilized soils. Does not tolerate drought, moisture-loving, likes to grow in shady areas, in nature the shrub grows in the forest under tall trees. In spring, the leaves of the holly mahonia are reddish, all summer the leaves are of a beautiful dark green color. In autumn, the leaves of the shrub turn golden red. Magonia blooms in late May - early June, beautiful yellow flowers. Berries ripen in autumn, become dark of blue color and have a bluish coating.

Mahonia holly planting and reproduction

This shrub is growing different ways: cuttings, sowing seeds and root shoots. The easiest way to propagate holly mahonia is root shoots, which the shrub forms in large quantities. Planting and dividing the bushes better in spring so that the plant is well rooted until autumn. A place for planting is chosen in partial shade, with well-fertilized light soil. Landing is carried out in pits 50 centimeters deep, the root neck is not deepened - left at ground level. Between plants, the distance is left 1-2 meters with a discharged planting, if mahonia is used as a hedge - a distance of 50 centimeters.

Caring for holly mahonia

In the spring, caring for the holly magonia consists in loosening the soil and making a small amount of mineral or organic fertilizers. If the summer is dry, then mahonia requires mandatory watering, if it is wet, watering is not required. autumn care behind the holly mahonia is to mulch the soil and cover the shrub with spruce branches.

The use of mahonia

Magonia podubolifolia is mainly used as an ornamental shrub, although in America the berries are used to make soft drinks and wines. Mahonia is used in medicinal purposes as a tonic, choleretic and antioxidant agent.

Photo of holly mahonia

If you have experience of growing this plant, please leave a comment, our readers will be interested!!!

Ornamental shrub mahonia (Mahonia) belongs to the Barberry family. The most common types of mahonia in the Central Russian strip are holly and creeping. This plant is valued primarily for the fact that even in winter it does not shed its leaves and successfully hibernates under the snow even at the most severe frosts. In some varieties, repeated flowering is observed by the end of September.

Types and varieties of mahonia (with photo)

Mahonia holly (M. aquifolium). evergreen shrub 0.8-1.2 m high. The leaves are dark green, hard and leathery, shiny. The flowers are collected in a large brush 5-8 cm long, located at the ends of the branches, bright yellow, fragrant. In Moscow, it blooms in May-June, 2-3 weeks, rarely 25 days.

As can be seen in the photo, the mahonia shrub has dark blue fruits, with a bluish bloom, edible:

Very popular varieties:

"Apollo" ("Apollo") - received in Holland in 1973. The height and diameter of the crown is 0.45 m. The crown is compact. Blooms in May, very abundant. The fruits are small, bluish-black, ripen in August.

"Atropurpurea" ("Atropurpurea") - bred in Holland in 1915. Height and crown diameter 0.6 m. Leaves up to 25 cm long, dark green, shiny. Flowers about 1 cm, yellow, fragrant. They open in May.

Look at the photo - this variety of mahonia has small, bluish-black fruits that ripen at the end of August:

"Orange Flame" ("Orange Flames"). Young foliage of plants of this variety is rusty-orange in color, by winter it turns red.

"Emerald" ("Smaragd"). Variety withstands low temperatures up to -27 °С. It has emerald green foliage. The crown is wider than other forms. Height is not more than 0.7 m. The flowers are dark yellow, plentiful.

Magonia creeping (M. repens). Noticeably different from the previous species with matte, dull blue-green leaves. It is called creeping for its numerous root suckers, due to which it grows strongly. This is an even lower, creeping shrub. In Moscow, the crown diameter of a young plant (7-10 years old) is 1.1-1.5 m with a bush height of 0.25 m. The leaf consists of 3-7 leaves, 3-6 cm long. It blooms from mid-May, for a week later Magonia holly, about 3 weeks. The fruits are black, ripen every year, by mid-August. Sometimes at the end of September there is a second flowering. The evergreen mahonia shrub hastily winters under the snow.

Growing mahonia: planting and care

Landing features. Mahonia are not very photophilous, they tolerate shading. It is better to plant and transplant them in the spring and always with a clod of earth. They cannot stand direct sun or drafts. For ease of care when planting magonia, you need to maintain a distance between plants in dense groups of 1 m, in loose 5-2 m. They prefer fresh, humus-rich soils, can grow on sandy or loamy substrates, and do not like soil compaction. The depth of the landing pit is 40-50 cm. The root neck is at ground level. The soil mixture consists of humus, soddy soil and sand (2: 1: 1).

Top dressing. For successful cultivation when caring for mahonia, the plant is fed 2 times per season in early spring and before flowering fertilizer "Kemira Universal" (1 Matchbox per 1 m2).

Pruning. Plants tolerate pruning and crown molding well. When the ends of frozen shoots are removed, the crown is quickly restored due to the growth of branches.

Preparing for winter. Magonias are quite hardy, but on dry soils they are sometimes damaged by frost. For the winter, it is recommended to cover the roots with a dry leaf. In the spring, do not forget to move the leaves away from the root neck so that flowering is timely and plentiful. To protect the leaves from burns from the bright spring sun, you can temporarily shade the plants with any covering material.

Magonia holly is one of the interesting representatives of the barberry family, which differs from other species in short stature. In total, about 50 species are represented in the genus of this evergreen shrub. Holly mahonia is home to the North American continent, but this is not a serious obstacle to its cultivation in the temperate climate of the middle latitude of our country.

In its homeland, the plant is known under the name "Oregon grape". Until 1822, its representation was limited only to its native places, but subsequently it was brought to the European continent, where it continues to be grown today, widely used in landscape design.

What did mahonia gardeners like?

A photo of a plant can already arouse interest. Therefore, a rare gardener remains indifferent to the beauty of the leathery leaves of mahonia, which it retains unchanged throughout almost the entire growing season. Seeing her leaves for the first time, they may be mistaken for holly leaves, which in principle explains the name of the plant. In the spring, when the leaves begin to bloom, they have a reddish color. However, in summer it changes to dark green, and in autumn, when the growing season comes to an end, they acquire a golden-bronze hue.

Magonia stems become even more beautiful at the time of the onset of the first frost, which changes its color to purple.

Such diversity color palette and is one of the reasons for the increased interest of many gardeners in this plant, which is often used in landscape design. Therefore, when decorating their plots, they often opt for mahonia. The plant fits perfectly into the design of the rock garden, and can also be presented as part of various group compositions, including lawn areas. With the help of mahonia, you can ennoble various buildings if you land it next to them. It also allows you to emphasize the greenery of the gardens. Since mahonia is a short plant, it can be successfully used as a border plant or a low hedge.

In the process of development, the holly mahonia has many outgoing root offspring, so during the season it can form small thickets. In this regard, mahonia seems to be an excellent option for decorating those areas where it is necessary to fill the soil surface.

Characteristics of holly mahonia

In the flowering phase, a pleasant and light aroma emanates from this plant, and it itself resembles lily of the valley flowers in appearance. The first flowers open in May and remain so until June. Usually they have a yellow tint and form small inflorescences-brushes. If autumn is warm enough, then the gardener gets additional opportunity admire the blooming magonia in October.

This flower is one of the cross-pollinated plants, so it can bloom only if there is a paired copy. Without this, the fruits that provide planting material for reproduction. This plant produces oval fruits that are up to 1 cm long. Most often they reach maturity in August, which can be identified by their dark blue color.

Mahonia berries have a pronounced sweet and sour taste, which they resemble barberries. The fruit does not contain a large number of pulp and lots of seeds.

Do not immediately eat berries - it is better to let them lie down in the refrigerator for a while. Then their taste will change into better side. Mahonia berries may not fall off for a very long time up to five months, because this saves a dense stalk. And even if the harvest is delayed, it will not lead to the decomposition of vitamins and other organic compounds. Up to 2 kg of fruit can be harvested per season from one plant.

Planting mahonia holly

Considering that holly mahonia is most often found in forests, in artificial conditions it is better to grow it in shady areas. If mahonia grows in sunny areas, then direct sunlight can cause burns, and this will noticeably weaken the plant and slow down its growth. The most suitable for growing mahonia are places protected from the wind, which are in partial shade created by neighboring buildings or trees.

Magonia is undemanding to the quality of the soil and its fertility. So it can be grown on any soil.

To obtain dense thickets of holly mahonia during planting, it is recommended to place the plants no further than 1 m from each other. You can create more sparse plantings if the distance between plants is increased to 2 m.

During planting, the bushes should be buried to a depth of no more than 50 cm. After transferring the plant to the pit, the root neck should be strictly at the level of the soil. Planted bushes of holly mahonia must be thoroughly watered.

plant care

Grow holly mahonia under conditions open ground easy and because it does not create problems in care. Regular watering is just one of the activities that are necessary for the normal development of plants. It is also recommended to periodically fertilize with a solution of complex mineral fertilizers.

Rules for the care of holly magonia:

Healthy cut periodically, which will help maintain a beautiful or sophisticated form of holly mahonia. Planting and care, including this event, in this case, will help the plant to show all its beauty.

It is recommended to prune in the spring. In this case, only those shoots and stems that do not have flower buds will be subject to removal. Trimming with this in mind will avoid violations abundant flowering bush.

Plants tolerate pruning well, after which it does not take much time to recover. As a rule, bushes acquire former form due to the formation of young shoots.

Propagation of holly mahonia

To obtain young bushes, you can use propagation methods such as sowing seeds, growing from root suckers and cuttings. It is recommended to use the method of sowing seeds in the spring, and these must be germinated seeds.

Reproduction by cuttings

Also get mahonia bushes on the site you can use cuttings:

• it is recommended to choose green shoots and stems with leaves as planting material;
• the stems are used for harvesting shortened cuttings, which must necessarily have a straight upper cut and an oblique lower one;
• in order for the cuttings to take root faster, it is recommended to apply a solution of root growth stimulants to the lower cut;
• after preparation, the cuttings are buried in the ground, not forgetting that the lower kidney should be at ground level;
• after that, the topsoil must be well tamped and watered with a fungicidal solution to protect against diseases;
• after planting on the cuttings, plastic bottles with transparent walls are installed, thorough watering is required.

Reproduction by layering

Get planting material in spring holly magonia can also be made from layering:

Conclusion

Holly mahonia has many admirers from among experienced flower growers. This plant has beautiful leaves and flowers, therefore, holly mahonia is increasingly used in landscape design. However, due to the fact that it is shade-tolerant, it is most often grown near various objects that are available in the garden. In addition to protection from direct sunlight, mahonia requires regular watering, which is especially true in areas where long periods of drought are often observed. Otherwise, it demonstrates unpretentiousness, so it can be grown on any soil.

Magonia holly plant

Mahonia is an evergreen ornamental plant that blooms with a large number of bright yellow flowers, a relative. Magonia is unpretentious and can be grown on any type of soil. This shrub is afraid of only two things: direct sunlight and strong wind. Therefore, it is better to plant it in shaded and protected corners of the garden. There are several ways to get Holly mahonia in your area - propagation by cuttings or growing from seeds are the most reliable methods.

Ripe fruits of holly mahonia have a pleasant dark lilac color. These berries can be eaten. Moreover, they are very useful for the body, because they contain a large amount of vitamin C. The fruits can be eaten raw or used to make jams, jams or homemade wine.

Growing mahonia

One of the most effective ways reproduction of holly mahonia is growing from seeds. Germination of seeds sown in early autumn is more than 60%. After the seedlings reach the age of two, they can be transplanted into the soil to a permanent place.

An effective way to propagate a holly mahonia shrub is to use root offspring. In this case, you need to carefully separate the part prepared for transplantation from the mother plant, dig it up and transplant it to a new place along with an earthen clod. Another method on how to propagate holly mahonia in spring period is to use layering.

But one of the most reliable options, when growing holly mahonia, is cuttings. This method of reproduction is carried out in the summer. Cuttings must be prepared from healthy young shoots with several fully formed leaves. The upper cut of the cutting should be located directly above the kidney. The distance between the lower cut and the nearest kidney can be about 3 cm.

The prepared cutting must be placed in a loose substrate. Great option will become peat tablet. When planting, it is recommended to treat the soil with a fungicide - such a preventive procedure will help protect the young plant from many diseases in the future.

Today, it is still rare to see household plots holly mahonia. It got its name because of the leaves very similar to holly. Mahonia is also called Oregon grapes: its berries are very similar to grapes. In the state of Oregon, of which this plant is a symbol, mahonia is called lily-of-the-valley bush due to the strong aroma and shape of the flowers. In the article we will talk about the cultivation of holly mahonia, we will give recommendations for care.

Magonia has always been distinguished by its unique flowering, bright color of peduncles and ease of care.

This plant has a high decorative effect, does not shed its leaves in autumn and blooms luxuriantly in May - whole caps yellow flowers cover low up to 1, 2 m bushes. In autumn, matte blue berries grow in their place. They keep until the snow, but most importantly, the berries can be eaten. In the homeland of mahonia, in North America, berries are added to wine, jelly, compotes to give them a rich color, and they are also used to prepare medicines for many diseases, including intractable psoriasis.

Magonia varieties and their features

Below are the most popular mahonia varieties:

Name	bush height	Description of leaves and flowers	Description of fruits
compacta	Grows up to 50-70 cm.	Flowers bright yellow. They are collected in erect inflorescences.	Fruits of dark blue color can have a length of more than 1 cm.
Emerald	Height up to 1 m.	Inflorescences are bright yellow, lush. The leaves are emerald-glossy, turning bronze-purple in autumn.	Black berries, about 1 cm in size. The fruits are used in winemaking.
Orange Flame	Grows up to 1.4-1.5 m in height.	Leaves are bronze-orange in spring, green in summer and wine-red in autumn. The flowers are yellow, the inflorescences are not as lush as in other varieties.	The berries are bright blue-blue color.
Atropurpurea	Grow 0.5-0.6 m high	Leaves turn dark purple in early spring and fall. The color of the flowers is bright yellow.	The fruits are black, shiny.
Mayhan Strain	Height 0.7-1.2 m.	The leaves are neat, dark green, turning red in autumn. Flowers pale yellow.	The berries are dark blue.

Preparing a site for planting shrubs

It all starts with choosing a location on the site. It should not be in the sun: Mahonia loves semi-shaded or shaded places, as sunlight leads to burns on the leaves. In addition, due to direct sunlight, the plant slows down growth and noticeably weakens.

It looks like mahonia - a shrub planted for decoration in the garden

To the quality and fertility of the soil, this plant is completely undemanding. But this does not mean at all that it can be planted on sandy or clay soil and get a nice bush. Like other shrubs, mahonia needs loose soil, which contains useful substances. Therefore, so that the plant does not need anything and pleases with lush flowers, it is necessary to create the appropriate conditions for this.

Features of planting and transplanting mahonia

First of all - placement: in order to get dense thickets of this shrub, it is necessary to plant plants no further than 1 m from one another, marking the landing sites in advance so that over time they create a continuous line in the right direction. To obtain single bushes, seedlings are planted much less frequently - after 2 m. Then, over time, when adult bushes grow, each of them will reach a diameter of about 1 m, they will not close.

Next, pits are prepared for planting grown or purchased plants. If the soil is poor, it is selected and the pit is filled with a mixture of sand (2 parts), turf (2 parts) and humus (3 parts). The soil is not compacted - this slows down the growth of transplanted plants, which are already growing slowly.

Young plants are buried no more than 0.4-0.5 m. If the plant is transplanted, it must be immersed in the soil to the same level as in the previous place. After the roots fall asleep, young plantings are well watered.

Tip #1 Magonia are transplanted in spring or summer. In the autumn, you do not need to do this - during this period, the bushes of this plant take root extremely poorly.

In the photo you can see a close-up of what the mahonia peduncle looks like

Why do gardeners love mahonia?

It is enough for any gardener to see a photo of this plant - he is unlikely to want to plant it on his site. beautiful leaves, which change color every season, no less beautiful stems that turn purple in autumn, and delightful flowers immediately fall in love with everyone who is engaged in arranging their site.

Features of mahonia care

A shrub of this species is grown in open soil. One of the main conditions, without which the normal development of mahonia is impossible, is regular watering. To do this, up to 8-10 liters of water are poured under each adult bush 2-3 times a month (and 4 times in drier times). Young plants are watered more often, but no less plentifully.

It is not necessary to prepare mahonia bushes for wintering - they perfectly tolerate even extreme cold. Of course, some branches can be damaged by frost, so in the spring you need to inspect the bushes and remove frozen leaves and branches. Young shrubs need protection - they are not yet so frost-resistant. They can be covered with dry branches. After 3-4 years, this will no longer be necessary: ​​adult bushes are already able to fight the cold.

How to propagate holly mahonia

To get young mahonia bushes, you can use several methods for reproduction:

1. Cuttings.
2. Sowing seeds. The use of root suckers. To do this, carefully dig out several young shoots next to the bush and plant them separately - a new bush has been obtained.
3. Reproduction by layering. To do this, drop the strongest branches into the prepared grooves up to 5 cm deep, pin them with a thick wire, giving it the shape of an inverted U. The tops of the branches should be above the soil. In the fall, and even better - next spring, the new plant is already well rooted and can be separated from the mother bush and transplanted to the chosen place.
4. Branch rooting. They are cut before the New Year and placed in vases with water until the roots appear. But you can put only one branch in one vase, otherwise they will not take root. After that, the branches are planted in pots and looked after as indoor plants- watering, lighting. They are planted in the spring or even a year later in a place chosen for them on the street.

Magonia can be planted, as among others ornamental plants, and singly, as it will perfectly decorate any garden, flower bed or terrace.

Growing mahonia from seeds

Cuttings and growing from seeds are complex processes, so they will be discussed in more detail. First of all, you have to get seeds from ripened fruits. You can do this immediately or wait until the frost hits and only after that remove the berries from the bush (or collect those that have fallen on the ground). In the first case, the seeds will have to be stratified. To do this, they are placed in the refrigerator for 60-90 days, and only after that they begin to grow. If the berries survived the frost, you can start germinating the seeds immediately. Without stratification, very rare seeds germinate.

The process goes like this:

1. Seeds are extracted from berries and washed.
2. Placed on a cloth napkin, moistened and left like that until the seeds germinate. It is impossible to allow the napkin to dry, so it is placed in a closed Plastic container and moisturize as needed.
3. When the first shoots hatch, the seeds are planted in pots with nutrient soil (sod, humus, sand in equal proportions) and sprinkled so that there is about a centimeter of soil on top. From above, you can mulch the soil to protect it from drying out.
4. Water as the soil dries out. It is impossible to flood too much, but it is also unacceptable to allow the substrate to dry out, otherwise the young shoots will die.
5. Young plants can be grown in a pot for 1-2 years. It all depends on their condition - the stronger they are, the faster they can be planted in a permanent place.

Magonia cuttings: process features

To grow new magonia bushes on the site, cuttings can be used. For this:

1. Segments are harvested from green shoots and stems with leaves.
2. The upper cut on them is made straight, and the lower cut is oblique.
3. For the engraftment of segments on an oblique cut that will be placed in the soil, it is recommended to apply a root system growth stimulator.
4. Prepare containers with nutrient soil (humus, sand, turf in equal parts).
5. The prepared cuttings are immersed in the soil so that the lower kidney is at the level of the soil.
6. They tamp the ground and water it with a fungicidal solution to protect against diseases.
7. Each cutting is covered plastic bottle, cutting off the top from it and turning it over.
8. Water thoroughly (but do not flood!).
9. After the roots appear (after 1-1.5 months), young plants are planted in a prepared place.

Peduncles of holly mahonia: you can see that not only the flowers look very bright and rich, but also the leaves.

Aspects of the use of mahonia in landscape design

Magonia is a versatile plant. It can be used in landscape design quite widely:

1. Plant on hillsides.
2. Apply as an architectural plant.
3. Complement a group of other shrubs and trees.
4. Planted in a composition of stones.
5. Use for single planting on lawns.
6. Grow to simulate forest belts.
7. Create borders, hedges, edges.
8. Plant next to ferns.

Since the flower has a high aesthetics, it can both decorate the site and serve as a background, and very attractive, for other plants. Best neighbors for this, bulbous, camellias, roses and others.

Feeding is an important part of care

Magonia is a plant that is undemanding to the presence nutrients in the soil - what was introduced during planting is usually enough for a year or two. But, in order not to completely deplete the earth, it is advisable to periodically apply additional fertilizers to the soil. Do this in the spring and until mid-summer, but not more than once a month. Thanks to top dressing, the plant will bloom more magnificently and look much more attractive. In autumn, mahonia is not fed, but in order for the plant to have plenty of useful substances for abundant flowering in spring, it is possible to pour decomposed organic matter around the trunk with a layer up to 5 cm thick.

What fertilizers can be used to feed mahonia? Gardeners are advised to use any of the drugs listed below. If there are none in the store, you can purchase any other fertilizer for ornamental shrubs similar action, and boldly apply it.

Mahonia, like most ornamental plants, needs to be fed and fertilized.

Can be used as natural ingredients, and special tools:

Name of the drug	Release form	Peculiarities	Impact
"Clear sheet"	The drug in crystals	For root dressing and spraying the bush	Promotes the formation of many new shoots, strengthens the roots, helps the plant bloom profusely and for a long time, resist rot and disease.
"Alliance"	liquid concentrate	Can be used with any irrigation system (hydroponics, sprinkling, drip irrigation, root dressing, etc.)	Helps plants grow quickly and proportionately, form large quantity buds, flowers - to be brighter.
"Fasco"	The drug in powder	Can be used as the main fertilizer for planting and vegetative growth.	Provides shrubs with all the necessary substances, helps fight diseases.
"Gumi-Omi"	dry mix	organic drug	Gently affects the immunity of plants, accelerates their growth.
BONA FORTE	Available as a liquid.	The drug is presented in a chelate form. Contains succinic acid	For the correct development of bushes, juicy bright color of leaves, lush and long flowering.

Common questions about growing, caring and fertilizing mahonia

Question number 1. Do I need to constantly fertilize mahonia?

Magonia holly - that's enough unpretentious plant However, she still needs top dressing and fertilizers. Nevertheless, as practice shows, usually once is enough for mahonia to bloom luxuriantly and beautifully. To do this, it is necessary to fertilize the soil during planting and after the appearance of the first shoots. Further, if desired, you can fertilize, but you can not. Mahonia takes root well in most environments, so it will delight with its flowering.

Question number 2. What is the best way to propagate mahonia?

One of the most common and effective ways to propagate mahonia is cuttings. This is a fairly simple process that has a great end result. It is also possible to propagate holly mahonia with the help of seeds, however, it is recommended to take the seeds from already ripened flowers.

Question number 3. What does mahonia love - light or shadow?

It is better to choose semi-shaded areas or even full shade for growing mahonia. Magonia holly - this is a plant that does not like the sun. As a result of excessive exposure to sunlight, burns may appear on the plant.