Kingdom: Plantae
Family: Berberidaceae
Species: Mahonia aquafolium
The flowering plant Mahonia aquafolium (is it just me or does that sound a bit like a Harry Potter spell?) is also known as the Oregon grape, due to it being native to North America and the blue-purplish berries it produces in late spring and summer. These berries are edible by humans, but not on their own due to their tart taste, so they are instead often used in jelly. The shrubs look very different now compared to how they will in a few months when the berries have been produced! The Oregon grape is an evergreen shrub, with spiky pinnate leaves (appear in pairs either side of the stem) and clusters of yellow flowers which form in racemes and bloom in early spring. These flowers attract pollinators such as bees and hummingbirds. These flowers appear very early in the spring, I took these pictures in mid-January, so it attracts pollinators before most other plants have flowered!
It is easy to see why UEA have decided to choose this plant to brighten up their campus in the area in front of the shop - they are easy to grow and to establish they require only a small amount of water. Once established, they are fairly drought resistant. They are also resistant to disease and the leaves are tough and insects are unable to mess with them. However, the leaves can become chlorotic in soil that is too alkaline and can suffer leaf-burn in winter winds. Luckily they are quite protected where they are situated on campus, so winds are minimal. They provide all-year round green appeal, combined with their golden flowers and blue berries. They are also easy to maintain with just a small amount of trimming required. They can grow in mostly shaded areas, so have been planted in an area near several trees. They are most popular in urban landscaping due to their high chemical pollutant tolerance, although hopefully this isn't why it has been planted at UEA!
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