AVIAN FRIEND
Agarita offers berries, nectar and protection to birds
By Norma Friedrich | Victoria County Master Gardener
PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY NORMA FRIEDRICH/VICTORIA COUNTY MASTER GARDENER – Agarita
Having always lived on the Texas Coast, my first encounter with Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata) was at South Llano River State Park at Junction where it grows in abundance.
It is so prolific that one of the bird blinds in the park is named the Agarita Blind.
It and other blinds in the park are known for the remarkable birds that frequent them.
Agarita plays a large role in the number of birds seen in the park. The berries offer food, the flowers offer nectar, and the sharp leaves offer protection to small plants, birds, and animals.
Agarita is known under two scientific names: Berberis trifoliolata is used by multiple organizations and Mahonia trifoliolata is used by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the USDA, and Texas A&M University.
The main distinction is that Berberis trifoliolata has simple leaves while Mahonia trifoliolata has pinnate leaves. Pinnate leaves have leaflets growing from several places along a stalk. Both groups contain evergreen and deciduous species. Another difference is the Berberis develops thorns from modified leaves on the stem while Mahonia produces well-armed or sharp leaves.
One horticulturist said, “those leaves are painful!”
Agarita, also known by the names Algerito, Algerita, Laredo Mahonia, is a very attractive rounded shrub with beautiful gray-green, holly-like foliage. It grows from 3 feet to 6 feet in both height and width creating a rounded shape. It forms its best shape in full sun but will grow in light shade.
It grows on rocky limestone flats and slopes in the western half of Texas. It is low maintenance, drought tolerant, evergreen, and hardy to 15 degrees in Zone 6. It is adaptable to other soils if they are well-draining.
The holly-like leaf structure is three leaflets, and each has three to seven sharp-tipped lobes. They are extremely sharp. When used in landscaping, as some leaves dry and fall, the litter created needs to be raked to keep bare soil around the base dry. Agarita does not tolerate moisture or humidity.
The sharp leaves offer protection for young plants from browsing animals, hot sun, and drying winds with their spiky leaves. It is known to some as the “mothering plant”. Quail and songbirds use the protective lower tangled branches for safe nesting.
The attractive yellow flowers bloom from February through April and have a honey sweet smell. Blooming early makes them very valuable to bees and butterflies and serves as a harbinger of spring.
Green berries appear in early May and by June have become bright red. They are a favorite of birds and small animals.
The berries make excellent jellies and wines. They are gathered by spreading a cloth beneath the bush and then using a long, strong stick to thrash the bush. The berries are high in Vitamin C and provide nutritional value to their products.
A medicinal plant, the leaves can be chewed for a natural anti-nausea. The root can be used for anti-viral and anti-diarrheal. Tea can be made from the branches to help with digestion, constipation and as a blood tonic. It yields a yellow dye, a tanning extract, and an ink.
Agarita is known to grow in pastures and thorn scrub in Goliad County. It would be beneficial grown in xeriscapes in and around Victoria homes and businesses.
Purple sage, another drought resistant native plant, is being used heavily now in landscaping and I would personally like to see Agarita added to the mix.
Agarita is available in 5-gallon pots at local nurseries and online.
The Gardeners’ Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener Association, an educational outreach of Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Victoria County. Mail your questions in care of the Advocate, P.O. Box 1518, Victoria, TX 77901; or vcmga@vicad.com, or comment on this column at VictoriaAdvocate.com.
References:
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Plant Data Base – Agarita info and photos
Texas A&M Plant Info on Agarita
Alamo Area Chapter Texas Master Naturalist Agarita Information