Mahonia russellii

Mahonia russellii is an extremely rare botanical species in cultivation that comes from the humid and cool high-altitude forests of the Mexican Sierra Madre Oriental. This tall bush with an elegant habit bears long, serrated leaves with finely toothed leaflets, decorative even in winter. It boasts graceful flowering with long, branching and trailing inflorescences adorned with small creamy-white flowers, delicately tinted with pale-yellow and pink. It blooms in late winter and can bloom again in autumn. This collector's plant deserves to be adopted in regions that are not too cold, in partial shade, in good garden soil that remains moist.

Mahonia russellii belongs to the Berberidaceae family. It is a Mexican species whose hardiness still needs to be tested, although it seems to withstand short frosts of around -12°C (10.4°F). It has a naturally upright and bushy habit, reaching about 3m (10ft) in height and 1.5m (5ft) in width. Its growth is quite slow during its first years, then accelerates. The evergreen foliage is composed of long, flexible leaves that reach 40cm (16in) in length. They are divided into elongated leaflets arranged opposite each other along the central vein. Each lanceolate leaflet has a leathery texture, a glossy appearance, and a border with small teeth. The colour of the young spring foliage is pinkish-purple, becoming bluish-green, and then very dark green in summer. Flowering takes place in March-April and can reoccur in October depending on the climate. The long, branching inflorescences are trailing and emerge from the current year's branches. They bear numerous small cream-coloured flowers, washed with pink and yellow on the outside. They give way to small blue-black berries covered with bloom, which are quite decorative.

This mahonia will delight collectors of rare plants eager for new experiences. In nature, it is not uncommon to find it among arborescent ferns and certain palm trees, and it would be perfectly possible to recreate such an association in a mild and humid climate garden. However, this bush seems to be sufficiently frost-resistant to be adopted in many gardens. Its early and charming flowering, sometimes reblooming in autumn, will make it a focal point in the garden. For example, plant it in a large shrub border with witch hazels, Euodia daniellii, Itea virginica, or even Calycanthus floridus.