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Berberidaceae FAMILY Vulnerable

Mahonia oiwakensis

Mahonia oiwakensis

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
2/5

Safety & Hazards

All parts of the plant contain the alkaloid berberine - this is most concentrated in the roots, stems and inner bark, and least concentrated in the fruits. In small quantities berberine has a range of effective medicinal applications but, in excess, can cause vomiting, lowered blood pressure, reduced heart rate, lethargy, and other ill-effects. The fruit of most, if not all, members of this genus are more or less edible and can be eaten in quantity since the levels of berberine in the fruit are very low.

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
GrowthMedium

Mahonia oiwakensis is native to the waem temperate zone of southern China. It can tolerate occasional temperatures down to about -10°c when it is fully dormant[1], though young growth in the spring is more sensitive and can be damaged at temperatures around 0°c[1]. Succeeds in any good garden soil. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Dislikes windy positions, the plants can be badly damaged by cold drying winds[1]. Prefers a shady sheltered position, growing well in woodland according to one report whilst another says that it requires a warm sunny sheltered position. The flowers are fragrant[2]. There is some confusion over the flowering and fruiting times of this species, I have seen some plants flowering in mid to late spring, whilst others have flowered in the winter and ripen their fruit in late spring to early summer - more research needs to be carried out in order to check if more than one species is grown under this name[PFAF]. Very tolerant of pruning, it can be cut right back into old wood if it has outgrown its welcome[3]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Resistant to honey fungus[4]. Some Berberis/Mahonia species (especially Berberis vulgaris) harbour the black stem-rust fungus (Puccinia graminis Persoon). This is a major disease of wheat and barley crops and can spread from infected barberries to the grain crop. The sale or transport of susceptible or untested species of Berberis is illegal in the United States and Canada[5]. We have no data on susceptibility for this species[PFAF].

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a greenhouse[6]. It usually germinates in the spring[PFAF]. 'Green' seed (harvested when the embryo has fully developed but before the seed case has dried) should be sown as soon as it is harvested and germinates within 6 weeks[PFAF]. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible in late winter or spring. 3 weeks cold stratification will improve its germination, which should take place in 3 - 6 months at 10°c. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer and consider giving them some protection from the cold for their next winter. Division of suckers in spring[6]. Whilst they can be placed direct into their permanent positions, better results are achieved if they are potted up and placed in a frame until established[7]. Leaf cuttings in the autumn. Cite as: Temperate Plants Database, Ken Fern. temperate.theferns.info. 2026-02-21. <temperate.theferns.info/plant/Mahonia+oiwakensis>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Shrubs. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1989 · ISBN 0-330-30258-2 ↩︎Excellent photographs and a terse description of 1,900 species and cultivars.
  2. [2]Scented Flora of the World. — Genders. R. · Robert Hale. London. · 1994 · ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive book on scented plants giving a few other plant uses and brief cultivation details. There are no illustrations.
  3. [3]Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. — Thomas. G. S. · Murray · 1992 · ISBN 0-7195-5043-2 ↩︎Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
  4. [4]The Garden. Volume 112. — RHS. · Royal Horticultural Society · 1987 · ISBN - ↩︎Snippets of information from the magazine of the RHS. In particular, there are articles on plants that are resistant to honey fungus, oriental vegetables, Cimicifuga spp, Passiflora species and Cucurbits.
  5. [5]Flora of N. America — http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/fna/ ↩︎An on-line version of the flora with an excellent description of the plant including a brief mention of plant uses.
  6. [6]Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. — Sheat. W. G. · MacMillan and Co · 1948 · ISBN - ↩︎A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
  7. [7]Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. — Bean. W. · Murray · 1981 · ISBN - ↩︎A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
  8. [8]IUCN Red List of Threatened Species — http://www.iucnredlist.org/ ↩︎A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat.
  9. [9]New South Wales Government; Pest and Weeds Management — http://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/ ↩︎A website with very well-produced factsheets on over 300 noxious and environmental weeds of New South Wales
  10. [10]Flora of China — Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. · 1994 · http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ ↩︎An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available.
  11. [11]The medicinal uses of the genus Mahonia in traditional Chinese medicine: An ethnopharmacological, phytochemical and — Jian-Ming He, Qing Mu · 2016 · http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jep.2015.09.013 · ISBN 0378-8741 ↩︎A review of the medicinal uses of the genus Mahonia in China.
  12. [12]Medicinal Plants of China — Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. · Reference Publications, Inc. · 1985 · ISBN 0-917256-20-4 ↩︎Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
  13. [13]Earth Medicine, Earth Food. — Weiner. M. A. · Ballantine Books · 1980 · ISBN 0-449-90589-6 ↩︎A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
  14. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎