Oregon Grape
Mahonia aquifolium
Family Berberidaceae
Oregon grape works the shifts nothing else wants: evergreen, holly-like foliage that bronzes purple in winter, fragrant yellow flowers for the year's earliest bees, then dusty-blue 'grapes' tart enough to make a memorable jelly — all in the dry shade under trees where most plants surrender.
Spiny leaves keep deer respectful, drought barely slows it once established, and Oregon thought enough of it to make it the state flower. Its roots even carry berberine, a traditional medicine. For the dark strip along the north side of the house, this native is the answer.
Part Shade to Shade
Low water
Slow-Moderate growth
Deer-resistant
Native to North America
Attracts bees
From the print shop
Growing oregon grape? Hang it.
Our Plant Library collection carries oregon grape — Mahonia aquifolium, print Nº 340, “Oregon Grape.”
526 designsfrom $12.99white or black backgroundmatte poster, unframed
Will it fruit where you are?
Enter your ZIP — we look up your USDA hardiness zone (2023 map) and check it against what oregon grape actually needs.
Hardy inZones 5-9Oregon Grape · Common problems
Common oregon grape problems
Oregon Grape · Growing & propagation
Growing oregon grape
- Light
- Part Shade to Shade
- Water
- Low-Moderate once established
Soil- Rich, well-drained · pH 5.5 - 6.5
Fertilizer- None needed
Pruning- After flowering
Remove leggy old canes at the base to renew; holly-like leaves are spiny.
Spacing- 3-4 ft
How to plant & propagate oregon grape
- Propagate
- Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering
Oregon Grape · Calculators & field guides
A little help in the garden.
Oregon Grape · Yearly calendar
The oregon grape year, month by month
Jan
No calendar activity is listed for this month.
Bloom
HarvestBloomMarch to April
HarvestAugust
What each band means
- Bloom — flowers open — pollinators working, frost on blossoms is the danger.
- Harvest — picking time — check ripeness every few days.
These are the species' typical months — expect them a few weeks earlier in warm zones and later in cold ones. Watch the plant, not just the calendar.
Oregon Grape · Ecology & uses
Ecology & uses
Mahonia aquifolium
Oregon Grape in the garden system
- Shrub layer shrub
- Nectary/insectary
Attracts- Bees
Moisture- Upland / dry
- Deer
- Resistant
A safer unfenced choice
- Origin
- Native to North America
What oregon grape is grown for
! Some parts toxic — see notesBerries safe cooked (very tart); roots medicinal but strong
- Use
- Evergreen shade
- Use
- Early bees
- Use
- Jelly
- Use
- Native
Traditional use rating- 3/5 in herbal tradition
Harvesting & storing oregon grape
Late Summer: dusty-blue 'grapes', tart, for jelly and wine; roots medicinal (berberine).
Edibility, identification, and traditional-use notes here are general reference — not medical or veterinary advice, and not a claim that any plant treats or prevents anything. Medicinal ratings record how strongly a plant features in herbal tradition, nothing more. Never eat or dose a plant you have not positively identified. More on how to use this library.
Oregon Grape · Varieties & cultivars
Choosing a oregon grape variety
'Compacta' (dwarf); 'Apollo'; tall species; M. × 'Charity' (winter-blooming hybrid)
Sources & plant identity
Know what you’re growing.
See where the knowledge comes from.
Oregon Grape
Mahonia aquifolium
The plant, at a glance.
- Botanical name
- Mahonia aquifolium
- Plant family
- Berberidaceae
- Growth habit
- Shrub · Perennial
- Origin
- Native to North America
- USDA plant symbol
- MAAQ2
- Invasive risk
- Low
Hardiness, size and timing vary with your cultivar, soil and climate.
Rooted in research.
University extension research, brought together with hands-on growing experience at Story Thyme Farms.
Questions
Oregon Grape questions, answered straight.
Do deer eat oregon grape?
Rarely — oregon grape is considered deer-resistant, which makes it one of the safer unfenced choices in deer country. Hungry deer in a hard winter test every rule, but it's a low-risk pick.
Is oregon grape safe for kids and pets?
With care. Berries safe cooked (very tart); roots medicinal but strong Site it accordingly if children or pets roam the garden. This is general reference, not medical or veterinary advice — call a vet or poison control if something has actually been eaten.
When do you harvest oregon grape?
Late Summer: dusty-blue 'grapes', tart, for jelly and wine; roots medicinal (berberine).
How do you propagate oregon grape?
Seed (stratify), cuttings, or layering.
Elsewhere
Where oregon grape sits in the library.
Rose
Hydrangea
Common Lilac
Forsythia