Soft Caress Mahonia

Soft Caress Mahonia, or Mahonia eurybracteata, from the Southern Living Plant Collection is a truly exceptional shade plant! Chinese Mahonia was introduced years ago, and provided a solution for shaded gardens everywhere. However, the sharp foliage of the Chinese Mahonia requires gloves or a particularly careful touch, which makes pruning difficult. The “Soft Caress” removes this potentially painful aspect of the Mahonia entirely, with its soft feather-like foliage. The greenery resembles a fern frond type of growth pattern, and sprouts richly colored leaves that can range from light green to a dark blue-green.

Early in Winter, this variety develops brilliant and fragrant yellow flowers that crown the evergreen foliage. Following the blooms are clusters of silver-blue berries that are an unexpected change of pace for this one-of-a-kind, fascinating plant.

It reaches a mature size of 3′ H x 3.5′ W. Because of its dwarf size, it won’t go wild and take over your landscape. Meanwhile, a naturally compact nature will leave pruning completely optional.

Try it in a mass planting in a shaded spot you don’t want to worry about maintaining.

Furthermore, it’s perfect for Asian-inspired gardens. Otherwise, try it as a short border in a shade garden, or as an accent in a container planter. You really can’t go wrong with this Mahonia!

Soft Caress Mahonia Care

Hardy in USDA Zones 7-9, down to 0° Fahrenheit when established.

One of the most attractive aspects of the Soft Caress Mahonia is its ability to thrive in both Part Sun and Full Shade, an unusual feat for most flowering shrubs.

Plant in well-draining acidic soil for best results. Alkaline soils may lead to an iron deficiency and yellowing leaves. Therefore, planting in acidic to neutral soil is important.

Water 2-3 times a week during the first growing season. After your plant has a couple growing seasons under its belt, supplemental watering is only necessary in times of intense heat and drought.

Fertilize in early spring with a balanced, slow-release acidic plant fertilizer.

How to Plant the Soft Caress Mahonia

First, find an appropriate planting location and stage where your plant(s) will go. Dig a hole three times as wide as the pot that your plant came in. The hole should be deep enough that the plant sits even with or slightly higher than the ground around it. Next, mix your native soil with rich garden soil to provide extra nutrients for your growing plant. Alternatively, if your soil is clay-rich, we recommend mixing in pine bark with your native soil at a ratio of about 1:1. Place the plant in the hole and fill the hole back with the soil mixture. Apply 3-4 inches of mulch around the base of your plant to help it retain moisture throughout the year.

Spacing Your Plants

For a seamless planting, plant 2.5-3 feet apart. Otherwise, space them 3.5+ feet apart for space between plantings.

Companion Plants for the Soft Caress Mahonia

Try this variety with some other shade-friendly plants, like the Everillo Carex and Florida Sunshine Anise. Both of these varieties have bright golden foliage that really brightens up shady spots. The Mountain Snow Pieris also handles shade well and features some gorgeous white bell-shaped blossoms in early spring.

For partial shade plantings, consider planting it with some Hydrangeas, such as the Big Daddy Hydrangea or Bloomstruck Hydrangea. Their wide leaves and large rounded blooms contrast beautifully this Mahonia’s feathery foliage.

Still looking for inspiration? Check out these Shade Garden Ideas.

Why Order Soft Caress Mahonia Online from PlantsbyMail.com?

It’s our responsibility to ship healthy, quality plants for every order we receive. And we take this responsibility seriously! We carefully select plants that we wouldn’t hesitate to plant in our own gardens. Then, we water them, securely pack them for shipment, and send them on their way to you. All of our plants are shipped in pots with soil, we never ship any plants bare-root. If you aren’t happy with your order when it shows up, give us a call at 1-866-618-5659 or email us at info@plantsbymail.com. We’ll do whatever we can to make it right.