# creeping mahonia (*Berberis repens*) Creeping mahonia is a small, evergreen shrub with shiny leaves and bright yellow flowers. It grows close to the ground and can spread out like a carpet, making it a lovely addition to gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 19 - **Habitat:** Forests ![creeping mahonia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Berberis_%28Mahonia%29_repens_%283621876909%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Berberis_%28Mahonia%29_repens_%283621876909%29.jpg) ## Appearance The creeping mahonia is a low-growing, evergreen shrub with distinctive holly-like, spiny, green leaves that often turn reddish-purple in cold weather. It boasts clusters of small, bright yellow flowers, followed by powdery blue-black berries. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ranunculales - **Family:** Berberidaceae - **Genus:** Mahonia ## Interesting facts - Even though its leaves look like holly, this plant is not related to true holly at all! - In autumn, its tough green leaves can magically change to surprising purple-red hues! - Its roots were once used by Native Americans to make a bright yellow dye! - The tart blue berries are perfect for making delicious jellies and sauces! ## Special abilities - **Winter Warrior:** Creeping mahonia has tough, evergreen leaves that help it stay green and make food all year, even when other plants lose their leaves. - **Spiny Protector:** Creeping mahonia has sharp, spiny edges on its leaves that help defend it from hungry animals that might want a snack. - **Underground Traveler:** Creeping mahonia can spread with special underground stems (rhizomes) to colonize new areas and find more water. - **Berry Bonanza:** Creeping mahonia produces tart, blue-black berries that attract birds and other animals, helping the plant spread its seeds far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-30 cm - **Spread:** 30-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Gathers nectar from its yellow flowers. - **Pollinates:** Western Bumblebee (*Bombus mixtus*) — Visits flowers for pollen and nectar. - **Eaten by:** [American Robin](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-robin) (*Turdus migratorius*) — Feeds on its nutritious blue-black berries. - **Eaten by:** American Black Bear (*Ursus americanus*) — Forages for its berries as a food source. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Always ask an adult before touching plants, as some can be prickly. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify creeping mahonia? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is creeping mahonia? 15-30 cm ### How wide does creeping mahonia spread? 30-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on creeping mahonia? 0.5-1 cm ### When does creeping mahonia bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is creeping mahonia edible? Yes ### Is creeping mahonia toxic? Mild ### What is creeping mahonia's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Bryce Canyon Lodge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-lodge-historic-district) — Utah, US · Historic District - [Bryce Canyon National Park Scenic Trails Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bryce-canyon-national-park-scenic-trails-historic-district) — Utah, US · Trail - [Murie Ranch Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/murie-ranch-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District - [Telluride Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/telluride-historic-district) — Colorado, US · Historic District - [AMK Ranch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/amk-ranch) — Wyoming, US · Historic Site - [Andy Chambers Ranch Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/andy-chambers-ranch-historic-district) — Wyoming, US · Historic District [View all places to see creeping mahonia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/creeping-mahonia) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Creeping Mahonia: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/creeping-mahonia)