ABSTRACT
Oregon grape is native to western North America, from southern British Columbia to northern California, and in northern Idaho and western Montana. Mahonia aquifolium is widely grown as a deer-resistant ornamental, ground cover, hedge, and barrier. There are many garden cultivars and hybrids. Popular cultivars include ‘Orange Flame’, ‘Mayhan’, and ‘Compacta’. The foliage has an interesting bronze or copper color when developing in the spring and turns an attractive red during the winter. The holly-like foliage is gathered from the wild for use as greenery by florists. The root system binds soil very well, and so the plant is used to stabilize slopes. Native Americans used roots and leaves of Oregon grape to treat various medical problems, including arthritis, diarrhea, jaundice, and fever. The roots contain several alkaloids, particularly berberine, known to be antibacterial and anti-inflammatory and used in modern medicine to treat infection and inflammatory diseases such as eczema and psoriasis.
