Berberis 'Golden Abundance' (Golden Abundance Oregon Grape) - This is a large, dense evergreen shrub to 6 to 8 feet tall by 8 to 12 feet wide. It has large compound glossy green leaves and an abundance of yellow flowers for several weeks in spring. The flowers are followed by deep purple berries that are attractive to birds.
Plant in full sun to light shade and water deeply on occasion or give more regular irrigation. Cold hardy to 10 degrees. A nice large shrub as a stand alone shrub or useful as a screening hedge.
This cultivar was selected by Lee Lenz at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden who described the plant as a chance hybrid between 3 different Mahonia (the older name for Berberis) species, Mahonia piperiana, M. aquifolium and M. amplectans. Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden filed for a patent on it on June 4, 1971 and U.S. Plant Patent 3,332 was awarded on May 15, 1973. This was the first patent on a plant selection granted to a California botanic garden. Lee Lenz felt this plant merited attention as it was more vigorous and upright than its parents with dark glossy green leaves and larger terminal inflorescences held in great abundance as well as many lateral inflorescences produced along the stems. He also noted that after flowering it produced "numerous and drooping racemes of globose, purplish-blue fruit with a bloom." This plant has been in cultivation since the early 1970's and has proven itself a great hedge or accent plant in gardens from Seattle in the north to the heat of the central valley of California (where is should be given some afternoon shade) and all along the coast of California.
The information about Berberis 'Golden Abundance' that is displayed on this web page is based on research conducted in our nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We will also include observations made about this plant as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens that we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We also incorporate comments that we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they share cultural information that aids others growing this plant.
Please note that after 46 years in business, San Marcos Growers will be discontinuing nursery operations by the end of 2025 and the property will be developed for affordable housing.
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