Is Mahonia Soft Caress Hardy
When I first came across Mahonia Soft Caress I knew I just had to have it. I mean, look at it, completely different from any Mahonia you have ever seen. But then I thought, Is Mahonia Soft Caress Hardy.
Well, it has been in our front garden for three years now, and It comes through each Winter unscathed. However, the plant does start to look a little tatty in early Spring. Not to worry, in no time at all, it starts to perk up.
Is Mahonia Soft Caress hardy, extensive research seems to indicate that yes it pretty much is fully hardy, other than it really does require a sheltered position away from cold winds. This explains the leaf damage on our plant in Spring time when the cold winds are bracing.
Check out some other Winter hardy plants
Mahonia Soft Caress Plant Details
This astonishing, Mahonia, was the plant of the year winner at the Chelsea flower show in 2013. Unlike other Mahonias, Soft Caress has no prickly spines and would pass for a Palm or Bamboo of some sort. It has a compact i habit and looks great in a large pot or planted in the border.
Only the flowers give away the fact that this is indeed a Mahonia.
Height
Grows to approximately one meter tall and one meter wide
Soil
Grows in any reasonable well drained garden soil, alkaline, acid or neutral
Position
Prefers full sun or partial shade
Flowers
Yellow honey scented sprays of flowers appear between late Summer and Autumn
Leaves
The narrow evergreen leaves are free of the typical spines found on other Mahonias, which give the plant an appearance of Bamboo.
Is Mahonia Soft Caress hardy
Well, it certainly seems to be l, but the plant does prefer a sheltered position away from cold winds. Hardy to -15f
Pruning
Pruning is Seldom required, tidy up in Spring by cutting away any wayward or dead branches.
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Early November in our garden
The garden is still looking pretty good and the red Acers are just popping with colour
Disectum Acer Inaba Shidare
Acer Palmatum Bloodgood
Acer palmatum dissectum watnong
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Thats a shame, our one is looking really healthy. We are on the coast and get very little frost.
I have a soft caress but it looks totally dead after the winter. I sheltered it with an old gummi carpet and I have watered it now in spring but it still looks dead, brown and dry and breaking. I am so disappointed…
I do not think we had less than 12 degrees below zero, and as I said I sheltered it…! It also grows in a sheltered garden in a sunny spot!
I am currently looking for planting places for more Acers Joy. Thankfully, they do well in pots.
Hello there ! we share a few Japanese maples ! Inaba Shidare , Bloodgood, and I suspect more .. you can never have enough Japanese maples is my moto ? Your garden is looking wonderful as usual Alistair !
Thank you, Francie, I don’t know about gifted but I do enjoy the garden
Thank you, Ellen, it is Sorbus vilmorinii
Your garden is looking stunning, Alistair. I love the pink berries, is it a sorbus? As for the mahonia, we’ll I’ve never seen a mahonia like it. It is absolutely gorgeous.
Your garden is absolutely beautiful! You are very gifted.