Leatherleaf Mahonia – Mahonia bealei

Leatherleaf Mahonia leaflets and fruit

This evergreen is a native of China and brought to the United States in 1848 as an ornamental. In 1848, after the Opium Wars in China had ended which opened up trade, Robert Fortune first found this plant. An interesting story surrounding his first encounter goes like this: Fortune saw the leaves of this plant peeking above the walls of an enclosed courtyard of someone’s home. He didn’t know the people, but apparently that didn’t matter to him. He opened their front door and walked through the house to the courtyard where he considered digging up the shrub, but felt it was too large to survive. In the next town he offered a reward to anyone who would bring him smaller specimens he could carry with him. In short order he received three separate shrubs.

 

This interesting plant is recommended in the southeastern United States as a wildlife attractant, but it is that wildlife that it attracts that has contributed so heavily to its becoming an almost invasive plant there! The fruits are abundant and are greatly relished by the birds, which eat it and spread the seed in their excrement. So this once garden plant is now naturalized throughout the south. The Southeast Exotic Pest Plant Council has it listed as a Rank 2 NIS plant (significant threat). This means that it poses a threat of becoming invasive, but as of yet is not spreading easily into native plant communities.

 

The leaves on this plant are very attention-grabbing. They resemble holly leaves in basic shape and in having points on the leaflets, but they are opposite unlike holly leaves that are alternating. The other major difference is that these are not opposite leaves, but leaflets…which make them all together one very large leaf! The flowers are an interesting yellow, growing abundantly in large clusters and appearing in late winter. Walk past on a crisp winter, very early spring day and get a whiff of citrus in the air…those are the Mahonia flowers!

 

The fruit which follows start out green but swiftly turn bluish black with a grayish bloom. If you can beat the wildlife to them (birds will strip the plant bare in a few short days) then they are actually edible. There are many seeds wrapped up in very little flesh, but the taste has a very refreshing, slightly acidic taste. They have been recommended added to cereal. They ripen in April and May and provide Vitamin C.

 

Since this plant is in the Barberry family of plants it has Berberine in the rhizomes which make it a bitter tonic with antibacterial effects. A decoction of the root and stems has been used to treat pulmonary tuberculosis, recurring fever, and cough in rundown body systems, rheumatoid arthritis, backache, weak knees, dysentery, and enteritis.

Japanese Barberry – Berberis vulgaris

Barberry flowers

…I listen to the wind abrade

The red pastel clusters

Of Japanese barberry,

then walk to the brook…

by Wally Swist

 

This shrub was imported into North America from Europe. The main active ingredient in Barberry is Berberine which is predominantly found in the rhizomes. Berberine has antibacterial properties and is used in the treatment of enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery.

All parts of the bush are toxic except the fruit and seed. The Berberine, which is what makes it medicinal, is also responsible for its toxicity! Barberry extracts can cause stomach upset and should be used for no more than 2 weeks at a time. Exceeding berberine intake could cause lethargy, nosebleed, skin and eye irritation, and kidney irritation. It is considered a Category 3 toxicity, meaning causing only mild to moderate digestive, stomach and intestinal upset.

A yellow dye is obtained from the roots, bark, and stems. It can be used to stain cloth, wood, and leather. With the addition of alum as the mordant, it will dye linen a fine yellow!

Nandina – Nandina domestica

Also known as heavenly bamboo or Sacred Bamboo it is a shrub that grows to about six feet tall (2 m). It is not a bamboo at all, bamboo is a grass, and Nandina is in the Barberry family. The common name comes only from its resemblance to bamboo due to the fine lacy foliage, and the cane-like growth pattern of the plant. Nandina has been placed on the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council’s invasive list as a Category I species.

The white flowers are borne in early summer followed by fruit that turn red in the fall. Birds, such as mockingbirds, robins, and cedar waxwings find them interesting. But caution should be used in human consumption as they (and all parts of the bush) are poisonous, containing hydrocyanic acid (which can be fatal if ingested). The flowers are very attractive to bees.

Nandina Berries

Leatherleaf Mahonia – Mahonia bealei

Leatherleaf Mahonia

This native of China is a slow grower who is very tolerant of shade. In the winter it puts out yellow flowers above the dark green pinnately compound leaves. This evergreen follows the flowers with clusters of berries that start green and shade through to dark purple.

Herbal medicine in China has used this bush for treatment of fever, gastritis, and liver problems. The root when dried can be mixed in warm drinks or boiled so that the decoction can be consumed. It has cooling properties that lower body temperature in humans.

In the south this has become an invasive species. If growing in the home garden you may find volunteers growing near the adult plants. It easily propagates from seed or cutting, with no special treatment done to the seeds if they are planted fresh.

Japanese Barberry – Berberis thunbergii

Japanese Barberry

This lovely bush has some nasty thorns that make it deer resistant! And they made me sit up and take notice when I found them on the property of a local church. We have since planted a hedgerow of them across the front of our property. We planted 18 of them, it might have been an expensive project except I found them at a local Lowe’s on clearance last fall for only $1.25 each!

Barberry was introduced to North America in 1864, and has since escaped cultivation. In some areas it is becoming a nuisance. The fruit was used in medicine and as food. The berries make a jelly used with meat! Barberry was traditionally used as a treatment for digestive problems, including constipation, diarrhea, dyspepsia (stomach upset), heartburn, and loss of appetite

A good quality yellow dye is obtained from the roots, bark, and stem. As well as being used on cloth, it is also used to stain wood. The roots boiled in lye, will dye wool yellow, and in Poland they dye leather  a beautiful yellow color with the bark of the root. The inner bark of the stems will also dye linen of a fine yellow, with the assistance of alum.