'Winter Sun' mahonia is a a cultivar developed in 1966 and is a statuesque, evergreen shrub that makes an interesting focal point for the winter garden. In December, 'Winter Sun' lights up any garden with its bright yellow flower spikes perched above its course-textured, almost holly-looking, foliage. Chosen as an improved selection in Ireland in 1966, this mahonia hybrid is a relative newcomer to the Carolinas. It has a more compact habit with more fragrant flowers than the common leatherleaf mahonia. Even with its compact growth habit, 'Winter Sun' will still reach a height of 8 feet if left unpruned. Set out this mahonia in a partially shaded and protected location. Additional water is essential during prolonged summer droughts. Mulch the root area to protect in winter and help retain moisture in summer. As an added benefit, the plant produces grape-like clusters of robins egg-blue berries in late spring that songbirds love to eat. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems More information on Berberis x hortensis .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.