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FloraVista

groundcover

Creeping Oregon grape

Mahonia repens

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Creeping Oregon grape is a slow-growing evergreen groundcover hardy in zones 4–8. Expect 0.75–1.5 ft of height and 2–3 ft of spread; our lists space it 1.5 ft apart. It does best in part sun to shade with little water once established. Expect yellow flowers in April to May. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the edge role: a low plant that finishes the front edge. It is native to the Mountain West, the Desert Southwest, the Pacific Northwest and California. Deer may browse it when other food is short, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Our rules leave it out of lists in the Southeast, Florida and the Gulf and Texas and the South-Central states, where summer heat, humidity or mild winters hold it back even inside its zone range.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Mahonia repens
Plant type
Groundcover, evergreen
Hardiness zones
4 to 8
Sun
Part sun (4–6 hours); Part shade (2–4 hours); Shade (under 2 hours)
Water
Low
Soil
Tolerates dry shade and rocky, alkaline soil once established.
Mature size
0.75–1.5 ft tall × 2–3 ft wide
Spacing
1.5 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Slow
Bloom
Apr–May · yellow
Roles in a bed
Edge
Styles
natural, low water
Deer resistance
Medium: browsed when deer are hungry
Pets
Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Not separately listed; the ASPCA lists Mahonia (Oregon grape) as non-toxic to dogs and cats.
Native to
Mountain West, Desert Southwest, Pacific Northwest and California
Pot size and price
1-gallon pot, typically $12–$20 (sometimes stocked)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water deeply once or twice a week for the first 6-8 weeks, then every 10-14 days in dry spells through the first summer; after that only in long droughts.
Pruning
No pruning needed; cut out winter-burned stems in spring.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list; Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States; state noxious weed and invasive plant lists; US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate); USDA PLANTS database; state extension service native plant lists. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Creeping Oregon grape, across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Substitutes our engine offers for Creeping Oregon grape: same role in the bed, passing the same rules. Some of them are flagged toxic to dogs or cats: check the pet note before you swap.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants