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‘Soft Caress’ Oregon grape

Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'

'Soft Caress' Oregon grape

“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

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