17-03-2003, 03:08 AM
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Mahonia/oregon grape question
In article ,
(Iris Cohen) wrote:
When, like now, can I cut it back and how far back? Some of it's about 20"
tall, but I would like it to be lower.
The natural height of Mahonia aquifolia, Oregon grape holly, is about 4 feet.
If you want something under 20", plant a different species. You may kill it
trying to keep it cut back that low. There is a Mahonia repens native to the
eastern part of the country which is much lower growing, but not as
attractive.
I don't think it is in the trade. You would have to go out in the woods &
collect it. If you want a ground cover, you can't go wrong with Pachysandra.
R. repens has an extensive range but I don't believe it reaches the east
coast. It's common all over Washington & Oregon, & it cross-pollinates
willynilly with M. aquifolia so that sometimes they cannot be told apart.
Some M. aqualifolia end up being dwarfish, some M. repens end up very
upright rather than creeping. Both are common nursery offerings here in
the Northwest, but they sometimes erupt in the garden on their own since
they're native. I just today visited an alcapa farm about ten miles away,
& there were areas of the farm dense with mahonia, probably M. repens
since none were more than a couple feet tall. I'm of the opinion M.
aquifolia can be kept sheered short & will still do fine & look good, not
that I've attempted to limit mine, so I could be wrong on that, it's just
that it sometimes seems tough as a weed that nothing can harm. And M.
aquifolia can be MUCH taller than four feet. They'll grow in fairly dry &
nasty locations that would kill pachysandra.
-paghat the ratgirl
--
"Of what are you afraid, my child?" inquired the kindly teacher.
"Oh, sir! The flowers, they are wild," replied the timid creature.
-from Peter Newell's "Wild Flowers"
See the Garden of Paghat the Ratgirl: http://www.paghat.com/
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