Southern Living Plant Collection Mahonia
Best low-maintenance shade shrub for gardeners seeking year-round deer-resistant interest.
This Mahonia offers a softer touch with its fern-like foliage, ideal for shady spots. Enjoy fragrant winter blooms without the prickles, in a compact size perfect for low-maintenance gardens and containers.
$21.99
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Who it's for
- Families with children needing safe, touchable landscape plants
- Gardeners struggling to fill dark, shaded corners
- Homeowners seeking year-round visual interest and color
Who should skip it
- Gardeners in hot climates with intense afternoon sun
- Impatient landscapers wanting immediate, full coverage
- Northern gardeners living in colder USDA zones
Performance breakdown
Shade Tolerance
Thrives in darker corners where most flowering shrubs struggle to bloom.
Maintenance Ease
Requires minimal pruning to maintain its tidy, upright architectural form.
Year-Round Interest
Delivers consistent visual appeal from winter blooms to evergreen foliage.
Deer Resistance
Reliably ignored by browsing deer, protecting your landscape investment.
Pollinator Appeal
Fragrant winter flowers provide a critical nectar source for active bees.
Texture Impact
Soft, bamboo-like foliage adds unique, delicate contrast to coarser garden plantings.
Key Specs
Container Size
3 gal
Mature Height
3 - 4 feet
Mature Spread
3 - 4 feet
Hardiness Zones
6 - 9
Growth Rate
Moderate
Growth Habit
Upright
Root Type
Container Grown
Soil Type
Well-drained, Loamy, Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Fall and Winter
Light Requirement
Partial Sun, Shade
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