Oregon grape, Mahonia aquifolium, is a bushy evergreen shrub with shiny, dark green holly-like leaves, which turn bronze or crimson in the fall. Its dense clusters of yellow flowers bloom in early spring and become small blackish-blue berries resembling small grapes. Tart and bitter, the berries were once traditional food for Native Americans. Berberine extracted from the roots and bark is used as an herbal antimicrobial remedy for skin and digestive aliments. Native to western North America, Oregon grape is often found in the understory of Douglas fir forests and in brush lands in the Cascades, Rockies, and northern Sierras.

Card with envelope, 9.25″ x 4″