Winter Sun Hybrid Mahonia. John Elsley, former horticulturist of Wayside Gardens and Park Seed Co., says that this is the best of the hybrid Mahonias. He has planted a hedge, yes hedge, of 'Winter Sun' down the side of his back yard. Oh sorry, I mean back garden. When in flower, this is a sight to behold. For us, it flowers from Thanksgiving to well after Christmas with unreal golden spikes of flowers. Even 18°F mornings don't seem to faze the blooms. Long hanging racemes of blue berries adds to its winter interest after flowering. Similar to 'Charity' in growth habit and size. I would be hard pressed to tell them apart. Customers are often asking how large a plant will grow. My first response is, "How long are you going to live?" Very few plants just stop growing, but there is a point to which the growth really slows down. The fourth photo of this plant shows a more "mature" plant of 'Winter Sun' in Japan at the home of one of our friends Taka Kobayashi, a noted nurseryman there. This specimen is approximately 16' tall, but one can easily keep this plant at 4-6' with a little judicious pruning each year.
Zones 7-9
