I don't think these types are hardy even here.

Perfectly hardy where I am - been in the ground for 4 years now without any winter damage. Not a big bloomer however.

Listed to zone 7a but -10F or lower is definitely not its liking! Wouldn't surprise me it bit the dust this winter with the intense cold much of the country experienced.

Mine died and died early. However it had survived the previous mild "zn 8" winters here. That is what its rating should be...I think a lot of wholesalers have been getting away with rating things zone 7 because of the run of mild winters on the east coast. Well, not anymore. It's a pity, they are cool looking and here at least they flowered as well as any other Mahonia. (i.e., had to get some size on it, but it did flower in the past couple years until its death)

The other weird new Mahonia to come on the market in the past 5 or so years also died, the one with big leaves but dainty sprays of flowers. That one is less of a loss.

For comparison, a F2 M. X media seedling was totally fine, did not bloom, but had only 5% foliar burning at most and is vigorously growing now as it always does. It was about 8" high when I got it at Camforest a few years ago, 2009 IIRC, and it's now close to 6'.

FWIW 'Soft Caresse' was especially delectable to deer, but they never touch my Mahonia X media.

This post was edited by davidrt28 on Mon, Jun 9, 14 at 21:47

Mine made it through just fine. We hit lows of high 20s for about a week which is about as cold as it has ever been here.