Native Plant Database

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Marcus, Joseph A. (Austin, TX)

Mahonia trifoliolata (Moric.) Fedde

Agarita, Agarito, Algerita, Laredo mahonia, Laredo Oregon-grape, Trifoliate barberry

Berberidaceae (Barberry Family)

Synonyms: Berberis trifoliolata

USDA Symbol: MATR3

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

This 3-6 ft. evergreen shrub, can reach 8 ft. in favorable conditions. The rigid, spreading branches often form thickets. Gray-green to blue-gray, trifoliate, holly-like leaves are alternate, 2–4 inches long, divided into three leaflets which have 3–7 lobes ending in sharp spines. Wood bright yellow. Flowers numerous, yellow, up to 1/2 inch wide with 6 petals and 6 sepals, which are similar, forming a cup shape around the stamens and pistils. Flowers appearing in February and March, their fragrance often filling the air where they are plentiful. Fruit a red berry, edible appearing from May to July.

 

From the Image Gallery

View herbarium specimen from Harry T. Cliffe Bexar Regional Herbarium.

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Shrub
Leaf Retention: Evergreen
Leaf Complexity: Trifoliate
Size Class: 3-6 ft.
Size Notes: 3-8 feet.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Yellow
Bloom Time: Feb , Mar , Apr

Distribution

USA: AZ , NM , TX
Native Distribution: Coastal s. TX through Trans-Pecos to s. AZ & n. Mex.
Native Habitat: Hills; open woods; rocky slopes & cliffs, thickets and open woods from coastal South Texas northwest to the Trans-Pecos. Well-drained loam, clay, caliche, limestone.
USDA Native Status: L48(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Dry
Soil Description: Rocky, limestone soil.
Conditions Comments: This evergreen shrub has rigid, spreading branches often forming thickets. Gray-green to blue-gray, trifoliate, holly-like foliage has needle-sharp tips. Clusters of fragrant, yellow flowers are followed by red berries from May to July. Songbirds eat the fruits, and quail and small mammals use the plant for cover. It is considered a good honey source.
Texas comments: Agarita has rigid, spreading branches often forming thickets. Gray-green to blue-gray, trifoliate, holly-like foliage has needle-sharp tips. Clusters of fragrant, yellow flowers are followed by red berries from May to July. It is considered a good honey source.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Songbirds eat fruits. Quail and small mammals use the plant for cover. Considered a good honey source.
Use Food: The lustrous red fruit, is a pea-sized berry that is used in making jelly and wine.
Use Other: Roots furnished a yellow dye used by early pioneers.
Fragrant Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds
Deer Resistant: High
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PlantWise: Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants

Mahonia trifoliolata (Agarita) is a PlantWise native alternative for:

   Pyracantha coccinea (scarlet firethorn)

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Question: Hello, I am a chef from Buenos Aires Argentina visiting Austin, Texas and would like to learn about native, edible plants in the region. Please let me know if there are any native, edible plants and if they grow wild, I can harvest them myself, or if there is a place I can purchase them. thanks, salud!!
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Question: Mr. Smarty Plants, Please recommend a tall, thick shrub to conceal the 6 foot chain link fence around the perimeter of our property. The fence is located down a hill from our home with western exposure and full sun. While we can run a soaker hose down there to establish the roots, I would love to have tall shrubs that will conceal the fence, act as a noise barrier from the street and require no watering throughout the summer. Is there such a plant? The nursery recommended red tip photinias but after reading your article about disease with these plants, I'm reconsidering. Thank you for your advice.
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Question: I live in Austin in a neighborhood that is bordered on one side by highway 183 and on the other by MoPac and the train tracks. Even though I am least a three blocks from the closest highway, the traffic noise is horrific on all sides of my house, even at night. What might the best native plant or plants to put near the house to mitigate the noise coming inside and to plant around the perimeter of the property for the same purpose? I have a large yard, which I like, but I notice that the smaller properties, with smaller yards and close-by houses on all sides, are quieter because the buildings shield each other from the noise. Thank you for any suggestions.
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Question: Is there some kind of drought resistant bush or thorny plant we can rim our property with to stop all the foot traffic through our yard? We don't care if it's pretty, just something thick and/or thorny to stop people wandering through our property day and night. We have over an acre lot which is near IH35 and would like some privacy. We have bamboo on one side which works nicely, but can this be transplanted to grow on the empty side of our yard? Thank you!
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Question: We live in Kempner Texas, our land has mostly cedar trees. We would like to make a wildlife habitat on the back side of our property. Can you recommend plants that will grow in shade to partial sun, compatible with cedar and wildlife friendly? Also we want a good shade tree for our front.
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From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Fredericksburg Nature Center - Fredericksburg, TX
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - Austin, TX
Sibley Nature Center - Midland, TX
Brackenridge Field Laboratory - Austin, TX
Patsy Glenn Refuge - Wimberley, TX
Native Plant Society of Texas - Fredericksburg, TX
* Available Online from Wildflower Center Store

Bibliography

Native & Naturalized Woody Plants of Austin & the Hill Country (1981) Lynch, D.
* Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
Native Landscaping from El Paso to L.A. (2000) Wasowski, S. and A. Wasowski
* Native Texas Plants: Landscaping Region by Region (2002) Wasowski, S. & A. Wasowski
Texas Wildflowers: A Field Guide (1984) Loughmiller, C. & L. Loughmiller

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Mahonia trifoliolata in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Mahonia trifoliolata in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Mahonia trifoliolata

Metadata

Record Modified: 2009-08-05
Research By: TWC Staff

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