A curious evergreen groundcover shrub that spreads by underground runners to fill in an area; clusters of yellow flowers, spiny compound leaves resemble holly and turn purple in fall and through winter; best planted where it will receive some snow cover.
Creeping Mahonia is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep and can be pruned at anytime. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration; Suckering.
Creeping Mahonia features showy racemes of fragrant yellow flowers hanging below the branches in mid spring. It has bluish-green evergreen foliage. The spiny pinnately compound leaves turn an outstanding purple in the fall, which persists throughout the winter. It produces black berries from late summer to early fall.
Creeping Mahonia will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.