Plant of the Week – Oregon Grapeholly

In commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition, this week?s plant, the Oregon grapeholly, is the best known of all the 178 new plants that the expedition collected. Neither Lewis nor Clark were well versed in plants, so President Jefferson sent them to Philadelphia for a crash course in Botany prior to the expedition. There, they met Bernard McMahon, a nurseryman, who catalogued the plants they brought back, and introduced the grapeholly to the plant community. Thus the genus was named in honor of McMahon, and since the plant?s leaves resemble a holly, the species name, aquifolium, is the old Latin name for holly. Sometimes you will find this plant listed with the genus name of Berberis, since it is a member of the Barberry family, and some horticulturists prefer this classification.

Grapeholly has an alternate, compound pinnate (5-9 leaflets), evergreen leaf resembling a holly at a first glance that is 6 to 12? long and extremely stiff and leathery. The color is reddish bronze when unfolding, changing to light, glossy yellow-green and finally lustrous dark green in summer, and purplish bronze in winter. Even though the flowers are beautiful in yellow bloom in April, the plant is better known for its grape-like clusters of blue-black berries appearing in late July and persisting into December, that are actually edible and used for wild jam preserves. Grapeholly will grow slowly to heights of 3-6? and as wide, forming colonies from suckers and is hardy from zones 4-7. They prefer moist, well-drained, acid soil and grows best in shade, but will do okay in sun if watered regularly. If the plant is not stressed by cultural practices, then it is relatively pest free and is a great addition to the garden for year round interest.

Oregon grapeholly has an inclination to be used with naturalized settings or landscapes, in shade gardens or as a foundation planting on the northeast or eastern face of a building. Since the overall texture of the plant is medium to coarse, it will have to softened with other plants of fine texture. And being evergreen, try mixing the plant with a deciduous blooming shrub like Virginia sweetspire or Fothergilla. Interesting to note is the fact that Native Americans have used this plant for centuries for medicinal purposes.