Oregon grape

Mahonia aquifolium

Berberidaceae

A holly-leaved west-coast shrub whose yellow root is a bitter berberine cousin of goldenseal.

Pacific Northwest native. Berberine-bearing root — bitter, not a daily food.

Parts used: Root and rhizome · Berry as food
Traditional notes: Bitter before meals · Irritable skin wash · A goldenseal substitute that can be garden-grown
Grow · USDA 6b: Shrub, USDA 5–8 Nursery plants. A dry-woodland shrub. In work: Mar · Apr · Aug · Sep · Oct
Harvest: Root from a mature cultivated clump in autumn — never strip a wild hillside.

Dry shade is its native mood.
Leave wild Columbia Gorge stands alone.
The yellow cambium is the identification of the root.

Safety

Pregnancy Jaundice without a clinician Marathon internal use

Lore

Mahonia of the Pacific Northwest, yellow berberine in the root like goldenseal’s cousin. The dusty blue berries make a tart jelly. Landscapers planted it far beyond Oregon.

The Herbarium — a teaching catalog, not a clinic. Traditional use is history, not a prescription. USDA 6b dates are a week either way, not a promise. Do not eat, drink, or harvest a plant you cannot name.