Betsy Clebsch tells us that Mahonia is now included in the Berberis family but you will find this plant is still carried in the trade as Mahonia. This is one of the best cultivars with large glossy green leaves and profuse heads of golden yellow, saucer-shaped flowers. It was introduced in the 1970s by Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden and is a hybrid between three different Berberis species B. piperiana, B. aquifolium and B. amplectans. It will grow 6 to 8 ft. tall and as wide and will spread by underground runners to make a sizeable clump. Flowering is in spring and is followed by large crops of blue-black berries. In general, barberries do best in partial shade in California and some summer water is advisable. It is hardy to 15 degrees F.