leatherleaf mahonia
(Mahonia bealei)
This species is Introduced in the United States
Appearance
Mahonia bealei is an evergreen shrub that can grow from 5-10 ft. (1.5-3 m) tall.
Foliage
Leaves are pinnately compound, 18 in. (46 cm) long, with 9-13 holly-like leaflets. Leaflets are 2-4 in. (5-10 cm) long and 1-2 in. (2.5-5.1 cm) wide.
Flowers
Flowering occurs in late winter and early spring when fragrant, lemon-yellow flowers develop.
Fruit
The fruits are green berries, about 0.5 in. (1.3 cm) long, that turn bluish-black with a grayish bloom. Fruits hang in grapelike clusters.
Ecological Threat
Mahonia bealei is native to China. It has been planted as an ornamental and is now invading woodlands in the southern United States.
Resources
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests - USDA Forest Service
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas - National Park Service
- Invasive Plant Alert - National Park Service
- Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland - Maryland Invasive Species Council (MISC), USDA APHIS PPQ
Selected Images
Maps
EDDMapS Distribution - This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts, herbaria, and literature. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org
State Lists - This map identifies those states that have this species on their invasive species list or law.
Invasive Listing Sources
- Alabama Invasive Plant Council
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council - Category 3
- Invasive Plant Species of West Virginia
- Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
- Jil Swearingen, personal communication, 2009-2017
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council - Moderate Threat
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources Policy: Restriction on Planting Exotic Invasive Plants
- Maryland Invasive Species Council - Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland
- National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
- National Park Service, National Capital Region Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
- New Jersey Invasive Species Strike Team 2017 Invasive Species List
- Non-Native Invasive Plants of Arlington County, Virginia
- Non-Native Invasive Plants of the City of Alexandria, Virginia
- Nonnative Invasive Species in Southern Forest and Grassland Ecosystems
- Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas
- South Carolina Invasive Pest Council
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council
- Virginia Invasive Plant Species List
- Virginia Master Naturalists Priority Species List
- WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States
Taxonomic Rank
| Domain: Eukarya |
| Kingdom: Plantae |
| Phylum: Magnoliophyta |
| Class: Magnoliopsida |
| Superorder: Ranunculanae |
| Order: Ranunculales |
| Family: Berberidaceae |
| Genus: Mahonia |
| Mahonia bealei |
Synonyms and Other Names
Other Common Names:
Beale's barberry, Beale's Oregon-grape
Related Scientific Names:
Berberis bealei (Fortune) Carr. (Synonym)
References
Common Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Scientific Name Reference: USDA, NRCS. 2010. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.