Labrador Tea vs Oregon Grape - TreeTime.ca

Labrador Tea vs Oregon Grape

Mahonia aquifolium (Berberis aquifolium)

Rhododendron groenlandicum (Ledum groenlandicum)

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

Oregon Grape
Labrador Tea

Oregon Grape is an evergreen shrub native to North America, found along the Pacific coast. In spring, the bright golden-yellow flowers appear in clusters above the leaves. These flowers eventually give way to edible blue berries in late summer. While not a true grape, the berries appear grape-like due to their colouring and clustered growth. They can be eaten fresh, but the sour taste and high amounts of natural pectin make them well suited for preserves.

The Oregon Grape has leaves that are glossy, leathery, and spiny-edged. This feature gives it its alternate name of Holly-leaved Barberry. When the leaves emerge in the spring they are a bronze-red colour. In the summer they transition to green, followed by bright red to deep burgundy in the fall. Leaves are retained throughout the winter and colder temperatures cause the leaves to turn purplish bronze, providing year round interest to the landscape.

Labrador Tea is slow-growing evergreen shrub native to the boreal forests of Canada.

It thrives in wet, swampy conditions.

Labrador Tea has narrow, leathery, dark green leaves, topped by a cluster of white flowers in the spring. It is a perfect ornamental shrub for boggy, wet areas of your property.

Oregon Grape Quick Facts

Labrador Tea Quick Facts

Zone: 5a
Zone: 1a
Height: 1.5 m (5 ft)
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.9 m (3 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: shade, partial shade
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: any
Growth rate: medium
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: short
Suckering: medium
Suckering: none
Maintenance: medium


Toxicity: slightly toxic if ingested
Foliage: leathery, orange undersides, evergreen
Fall colour: bright red to deep burgundy
Fall colour: rust orange
Flowers: yellow
Flowers: white, fragrant
Berries: blue to purple, large
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE