Agarita, Mahonia trifoliolata (Barberry Family)

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Posted by @frostweed on
What surprising qualities this plant has: early nectar for bees and butterflies, plus beautiful flowers and fruit.

This plant is tough and drought tolerant, and the gray-green leaves are prickly and resemble holly. It is evergreen and can reach 8 feet tall. The look of the plant can be rather unremarkable when not in bloom or fruit, but in February it bursts into bloom up and down every stem with beautiful tiny yellow flowers that perfume the air in a most delightful way.

The flowers then mature into orange-red berries, which are edible and have a very pleasant lemony flavor. Some people like to make lemonade by crushing them and mixing them with water, or you can use them to make a delicious jam for your toast.

Be careful if you come close to this plant: You might get a prickly welcome that will have you smarting for a while. What a great plant this would be to set beneath your windows: It could be used to keep away unwelcome visitors.

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Comments and Discussion
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Beautiful, but tough! by LindaTX8 Jul 15, 2015 5:40 PM 1

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