Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' — 15cm / 1.5L
Soft Caress Mahonia

Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'

£19.99
Hardy in the UKShade-tolerantEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
15cm / 1.5L £19.99

FREE tracked delivery on orders over £60

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Description

Meet the plant: Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' is the mahonia for people who thought they disliked mahonias. In place of the usual holly-like spines it has soft, thread-fine evergreen leaflets that give it an almost bamboo or palm-like look. It was named Plant of the Year at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2013, and it has kept its popularity since.

Hardiness and seasons: It is rated H4, so it is hardy across much of the country but appreciates a sheltered position out of the coldest, most exposed spots. The foliage is evergreen and looks good all year. Slender spikes of yellow, honey-scented flowers open in late summer and autumn, a valuable late source of nectar for bees, and these are followed by small blue-black berries.

How and where to grow: It is at its best in partial shade or gentle sun, in fertile soil that holds some moisture but still drains freely. A sheltered border, a shady courtyard or a large container all work well, and the fine foliage earns it a place as a quiet architectural plant. Expect a rounded, upright shape of around 1 to 1.5m in height and spread over several years.

Getting it established: Water regularly through the first year so the roots establish, and keep it out of drying wind and hard frost pockets while young. It needs little pruning, though you can shorten stems after flowering to keep it bushy. A spring mulch keeps the roots cool and fed.

What you receive: Supplied in a 15cm pot, ready to plant.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Soft Caress Mahonia

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Soft Caress Mahonia

Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress' needs full sun or partial shade and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Architectural Exotic Borders Pots & Containers Shade Wildlife & Pollinators

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H4): down to around −10°C. Hardy through an average UK winter.

Hardy across much of the UK, rated H4, but happiest in a sheltered spot away from the coldest, most exposed conditions. Read moreShow less

Hardy across much of the UK, rated H4, but happiest in a sheltered spot away from the coldest, most exposed conditions.

Position

Full sunPartial shadeEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Partial shade or gentle sun. East, south or west facing, sheltered. Read moreShow less

Partial shade or gentle sun. East, south or west facing, sheltered.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Fertile soil that holds some moisture but drains freely. Tolerates chalk, clay, loam and sand. Read moreShow less

Fertile soil that holds some moisture but drains freely. Tolerates chalk, clay, loam and sand.

Watering

Water regularly through the first year to establish. Keep young plants out of drying wind and hard frost pockets. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first year to establish. Keep young plants out of drying wind and hard frost pockets.

Mature size

Height1-1.5m
Spread1-1.5m

Reaches full size in 5-10 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Late summer to autumn (September to November) · Yellow

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Needs little pruning. Shorten stems after flowering if you want a bushier, more compact shape. Mulch in spring to keep roots cool.

Toxicity

Berries are ornamental and not to be eaten. Wear gloves when handling. Roots and stems contain berberine and are mildly toxic if ingested.

Native range

China (species); 'Soft Caress' is a garden selection

Family

Berberidaceae

Also known as

Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'

Genus

Mahonia →
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it have spines like other mahonias?

No, and that is the whole point of it. 'Soft Caress' has soft, thread-fine leaflets with no prickles, so it is comfortable to plant beside a path, a seat or a doorway.

When does it flower?

It carries slender spikes of yellow, honey-scented flowers in late summer and autumn, which is a genuinely useful time of year for colour and for feeding late bees.

Is it fully hardy?

It is rated H4, so hardy across much of the UK, but it is a touch less bombproof than the big spiny mahonias. Give it a sheltered spot out of cold, exposed wind, and protect young plants in their first winter or two.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes, it makes an excellent container plant, and its fine foliage looks especially good near a shady doorway or on a patio. Use a loam-based compost and keep it watered in dry spells.

Is it good for shade?

Yes. It prefers partial shade or gentle sun rather than hot, dry positions, which makes it a stylish choice for shadier borders and courtyards.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Mahonia eurybracteata 'Soft Caress'
£19.99