Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Sunday - July 27, 2008

From: Littleton, CO
Region: Rocky Mountain
Topic: Pruning, Shrubs
Title: Eradication of mahonia repens
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

What is the best way to kill and/or remove mahonia repens?

ANSWER:

Mahonia repens (creeping barberry) is native to Colorado, and is a stoloniferous, sprawling evergreen. It is widely praised as a low groundcover with fruit attractive to birds, and listed as a non-invasive alternative to several invasive plants. However, "invasive" is in the eye of the beholder, and we can see how having it in the wrong place in your garden could be a problem. The fact that it is stoloniferous means that it spreads like some grasses, with below-ground root systems spreading it very efficiently.

To begin, and to get a better feel for the situation, start pruning away and discarding the cuttings in such a way that no berries left on the cuttings will get a chance to propagate themselves. You're clearing the area so you can find where the plant comes up from the root. When you find that, cut it through as near to the ground as you can. Paint the newly-cut surface with an appropriate herbicide, at nearly full strength, with a disposable sponge paintbrush, within 5 minutes. The herbicide must go on the cut area quickly before it begins to "heal" itself, thus preventing the herbicide from getting down to the roots. Now, because it is stoloniferous, you still have to deal with those roots. That plant is going to be trying to survive, no matter what you do, so the more damage you can do to the roots, the better. Drive a sharp shovel into the ground and cut them, expose them and prune them, or whatever method works best for you. Grubbing out the stump and discarding it will also effectively starve any remaining roots. You will have to continue to be alert; the plant propagates by roots sending out new little plants and by seeds that may have fallen months before. Just keep pulling them out until the shrub is exhausted. The best time to do this is in the Summer, when the heat and the sun will help in your destruction.

We didn't say it was going to be easy.

 

More Shrubs Questions

Ilex vomitoria Sufering from Drought?
January 19, 2012 - My Ilex vomitoria has always thrived. It is about ten years old. This fall, a portion of the leaves on the ends of the branches have turned yellow on the edges with green veining in the center. Othe...
view the full question and answer

Are American Hazelnuts Self-Fertile?
November 06, 2014 - I planted an American Hazelnut a couple of years ago that I ordered from a catalog. Is this plant self-fertile or do I need to plant another one? I have seen conflicting information on this subject.
view the full question and answer

Yucca rostrata needs some help in Austin, TX.
September 16, 2013 - We planted an expensive 5-6 foot Yucca rostrata last fall. It bloomed beautifully in the spring. We installed an irrigation link to water the recently planted areas with succulents, viburnums, spart...
view the full question and answer

Native holly (ilex) for Austin area
May 28, 2006 - Hi--my brother and his family live in Austin, TX--their german shepard "Holly" just died (she was 13)--I was throwing around the idea of sending them a holly plant of some sort to have in honor of H...
view the full question and answer

Fast-growing drought-resistant hedge for California
September 03, 2013 - We're looking for a fast growing, drought resistant shrub that will grow in clay soil and can be used for a hedge around our property.
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.