The holly magonia belongs to the genus Magonia in the family Barberry. The birthplace of this plant is the western regions of the United States. It spread to Europe and other parts of the world in the middle of the 19th century. Unlike barberry, there are no thorns on mahonia, so it was cultivated with great desire. Such a universal plant does not require careful care. It truly is a gift to man from nature. Low evergreen shrubs perfectly decorate the garden with lush thickets and fragrant flowers. In autumn, mahogany delights with a harvest of berries, which are widely used in cooking and traditional medicine.
Botanical Description
The hollow mahogany is a sprawling shrub high about 1 m. Erect, branched shoots have a round cross section of small diameter. Branches are covered with a reddish-gray smooth bark. With age, it acquires a brownish-gray color and cracks.
Over the entire length of the branch there is a complex, pinnate foliage with 5-9 leaf plates. The length of individual oval leaves is 15-20 cm. On the glossy dark green surface we distinguish a relief pattern of veins. The back has a lighter, matte surface. On the edges of the leaves, small recesses and denticles are visible.
In April-May, flowering of mahonia occurs. Numerous panicle inflorescences are formed from the axils of the leaves of young shoots. Small yellow flowers consist of nine bracts and six petals. In the center are short stamens and pestle.
In August-September, the fruits ripen on the bushes. Dark blue berries with blue stains are collected in clusters. The length of the fetus does not exceed 1 cm, and the width is 8 mm. On the skin with a bluish bloom, short pubescence is visible. In sweet and sour juicy pulp there are 2-8 oblong seeds. Each of them is covered with smooth brown skin.
Popular varieties
There are about 50 varieties in the genus of mahonia. Some of them are derived artificially and exist only in culture. Most popular is hollow mahonia. A shrub about 1 m high expands in breadth and forms dense thickets. On upright shoots of brown-gray color, unpaired leaves up to 50 cm long are located. The serrated leaves resemble the shape of holly foliage, their length is 15-20 cm. In the second half of spring, the tops of the bushes are covered with caps of yellow inflorescences, and after 2 months they are replaced by clusters of small blue-black berries. Decorative varieties:
- Apollo - in spring, bushes up to 1 m high are covered with dark green leaves, but by August they are painted in a bronze hue.
- Golden - on dark green serrated leaves there is a yellow border on the edge.
- Atropurpurea - the plant forms spherical bushes with a diameter of 60 m. From early autumn, dark green leaves turn purple. Bright yellow fragrant flowers bloom in May, and by August, black and blue oblong berries ripen.
- Motley - shiny leaves throughout the year surrounded by a thin white stripe on the sides.
Magonia is creeping. The height of the creeping shrub is 25-50 cm. On each petiole there are 3-7 leaf plates 3-6 cm long. The serrated foliage has a matte blue-green surface. In the axils of young shoots, thick yellow inflorescences 3-7 cm long bloom. Later they are replaced by black pubescent berries.
Japanese mahonia. Distributed exclusively in culture, in the gardens of China and Japan. The plant has the shape of trees up to 4 m high. The crown consists of upright shoots with a small number of lateral processes. Unpaired large leaves are located on petioles up to 45 cm long. Leaf plates are slightly bent back. At the ends of the stems thick yellow inflorescences 10-20 cm long are formed. Each cup with yellow petals in diameter is 6-8 mm. It exudes a pleasant aroma reminiscent of the smell of lilies of the valley.
Magonia Fremonti. A shrub up to 3 m high forms a dense crown. Egg-shaped or broad-lanceolate leaves with serrated edges are painted in light green light with a blue dusting. The tops of the shoots are decorated with long light yellow inflorescences. After pollination, red-purple berries ripen.
Breeding methods
Hollow magonia is propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering. Seeds are sown immediately after harvest, as they quickly lose their germination. In September, the seed material is distributed in prepared boxes with a sand-peat mixture to a depth of 5-10 mm. For stratification in the winter, boxes with seeds are stored in a cold room. Shoots appear by May, with the appearance of 3-4 real leaves, seedlings dive, but continue to grow in the greenhouse. Planting in the open ground is planned for the fourth year of the plant's life.
To immediately get a lot of plants that preserve the varietal characteristics of maternal mahonia and bloom quickly, it is convenient to root the cuttings. They are cut in early spring with healthy young shoots. Each slice should have 6-8 kidneys. Rooting is done in a light, fertile soil, in greenhouses. Cuttings are planted vertically, deepening into the lower 2 buds. It is important to maintain high humidity and regularly moisten the soil.
The lower branch of an adult shrub can be pressed to the ground to get rooted layering. When full roots are formed and the plant takes new shoots, it can be separated from the main bush and transplanted to a permanent place.
Sometimes the bushes give root processes that can be immediately transplanted to a new place. Such plants develop rapidly and bloom the following year, but not all species can propagate in this way.
Growing Features
Growing mahonia on a household plot is quite simple. The plant is unpretentious and quite tenacious. It can adapt to living conditions and maintain an attractive appearance.
Holly magonia is able to grow in open areas or in partial shade. Variegated varieties need more good lighting. Bushes normally tolerate hot summers and frosty winters, but are demanding on protection against drafts.
Planting and transplanting of mahogany produce in the spring. In order not to damage the rhizome, you need to save the old earthen lump. The soil should have a slightly acidic reaction and be light enough. After planting, the topsoil is mulched with rotten manure or compost. Before flowering, universal top dressing (nitroammofoska, Kemira Universal) should be added to the soil.
Magonia suffers a little drought, but can suffer from soil flooding. If precipitation periodically falls in the summer, then the plant does not need additional watering. With prolonged drought, the bushes are watered every two weeks.
For winter, it is recommended to mulch the soil with sawdust, shredded hay, fallen leaves or needles. If a frosty, snowless winter is expected, it is worth covering the entire bush with non-woven material. In spring, during the period of snowmelt, the holly magonia suffers from excess moisture in the soil. The roots may rot and the plant will die. To avoid this, it is recommended to cover the soil at the roots with polyethylene.
After flowering is complete, you can partially crop the shoots to give them the desired shape. Since the compact shoot grows for a long time, they begin to prune 10 children after planting. Trimming is allowed no more than half of the branch, otherwise flowering will not take place next year.
Diseases and Pests
With improper care, powdery mildew, root rot, rust and other fungal diseases can develop on mahonia. To get rid of diseases, the affected areas are treated with a fungicide solution.
Hard leaves almost never attract parasites. If a plant that was attacked by pests is located nearby, it is worth treating all nearby vegetation with an insecticide.
Use of mahonia
In landscape design. With the help of decorative bushes of mahogany, you can perform zoning of a personal plot. They are suitable for bordering the territory or framing the tracks. Dark greens with yellow inflorescences go well with roses or primroses. Bushes with bright leaves are suitable for a rockery or a natural garden. They are evenly distributed under tall trees. Also, mahonia can be used to decorate bouquets and holiday wreaths.
In cooking. The berries of magonia holly are edible. They can be consumed fresh or used to make desserts, salads and other dishes. To taste, they resemble barberry. Fruits are used for making jam or jelly. Aromatic and very refined wine is also prepared from berries.
In folk medicine. The fruits and shoots of mahonia have an astringent effect. The alkaloid berberine, which is contained in them, helps fight the following diseases:
- diarrhea;
- liver disease
- renal failure;
- rheumatism;
- psoriasis;
- gout;
- stagnation of bile.
For treatment. Decoctions and alcoholic infusions from the plant are used for internal and external use.
In the textile industry. The crushed fruits of mahonia are used as a natural dye of blue color. It was used in the production of the first denim. Shrub leaves can be used to dye threads in green. To get a yellow tint, crust and roots of mahogany are crushed and boiled in a small amount of water.
