Mahonia bodinieri

A large and fast growing hardy species from China reaching 3 to 4m high, with huge pinnate, tough, leathery leaves forming a magnificent, very broad rosette atop pale corky barked stems. Clusters of erect terminal racemes of bright yellow flowers are borne in early autumn, followed by highly attractive fruits which start a pale verdigris set against deep red stalks and turn bloomy, purplish-black. A very striking and particularly unusual species.