Skip to main content
← Plants for Bees
Creeping Oregon Grape
Creeping Oregon Grape botanical plate
Field guide plate · click to zoom

Creeping Oregon Grape

Mahonia repens
In the United States: Native · also called creeping barberry, low Oregon grape

Honeybees visit creeping Oregon grape primarily for its abundant early-season pollen and moderate nectar supplies, which help build colony strength after winter. Peak bloom aligns with spring in temperate climates, offering a critical forage window when few other plants are flowering. This low-growing evergreen shrub tolerates drought once established and resists deer browsing, though it may spread via rhizomes requiring occasional management in gardens.

Nectarmedium
Pollenhigh
Bloom (US) April–June
TypePerennial
Sunpartial
BeeAI — Ask the old beekeeper
Hey there, honey. Ask me anything about your bees.