Description: A plant with pinnately compound leaves with leathery, holly-like leaflets on stems ending in dense, branched clusters of small yellow flowers.

Flowers: about 1.3cm wide; nine sepals in three whorls, six petals in two whorls, slightly shorter than the sepals; three small bracts outside the sepals; six stamens in two rings, lying against the petals and moving toward the single style when touched. Flowering, March to April

Leaves: five to seven (occasionally three or nine) ovate, stiff, leathery, spiny-margined leaflets, 3-7.5cm long, shiny on upper side.

Fruit: Dark blue fleshy berries ~6mm wide.

Height: 1-1.5m.

Habitat: Moist, well-drained soils, often even in rocky debris and water-holding crevices. Open pine forests.

Range: British Columbia to Oregon, California and Arizona.

This plant grows from a creeping underground rhizome, its erect stems surfacing here and there in the woods. Tall Oregon Grape is the state flower of Oregon. The berries are eaten by wildlife and make good jelly. They are also made into a popular wine in North America and were used to colour true red wines. Indians made a yellow dye from the bark and wood. In the nursery trade, Berberis spp. with pinnate leaves are known as Mahonia. This name is for the prominent American horticulturalist of Irish birth, Bernard M'Mahon (c1775-1816). The shrub has been in cultivation since 1823, and is an indispensible part of wreaths and flower arrangements in many countries. Whereas Holly is traditionally used for Christmas decoration, Oregon Grape is mostly gathered in late October for All Souls' Day. Oregon Grape will stand both low temperature and atmospheric pollution and readily makes new growth when cut.

Information: Lawrence (19 ), Audubon Wildflowers (19 )

Source: Weasdale Nurseries, Newbiggin-on-Lune, Cumbria; seeds from plants on Kate's Island, Thorp Perrow arboretum.

Purchased: 1993.03.22, by us, three specimens at 3-4 feet.

Planted: 1993.04.03-1993.04.23 on eastern boundary of US Strip.

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