Chinese Mahonia, Burmese Mahonia               ma-HO-ni-a low-mah-ree-i-FO-lee-a

• Evergreen shrub, 6-12 ft (1.8-3.7 m), very erect, may be single or multistemmed, stems little branched.  Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, clustered near stem ends and held horizontal, very long, each is 40-60 cm long, with 10-18 pairs of leaflets which are thick, spiny, glossy green, and about 7.5 x 2 cm.  Flowers small, bright yellow, appear in winter and are borne in long (10-20 cm), upright, cylindrical clusters just above the upper most leaves.  Fruit is powder blue.
• Part shade, especially in the afternoon, moist, well drained soil.  May need protection from cold in much of the Pacific Northwest.  Used as a specimen plant.
• Hardy to USDA Zone (7) 8      Native to Burma (Myanmar), western China and Taiwan.
• Mahonia: after Bernard McMahon (born 1816), American nurseryman. lomariifolia: with leaves like Lomaria, now Blechnum.
• Oregon State Univ., campus: east side Hort Garden (west end of Cordely Hall).