Mahonia trifoliolata

Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata) is a rounded evergreen shrub in the family Berberidaceae. It is also called Agrito, Algerita, Currant-of-Texas, Wild Currant, or Chaparral Berry. Several authorities argue that this species should be included in the genus Berberis because it is able to hybridize with Berberis species.

Agarita grows up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide. It is low maintenance, drought tolerant, and has a very high heat tolerance. The fruit is a red berry used in jellies, and the yellow flowers grow in clusters. The foliage is gray-green, and the leaflets have sharp points at the ends. It grows natively in Texas, Arizona, and Northern Mexico.

While agarita is not a common plant to decorate with, it is a wonderful find in nature. The red berries that grow in clumps can be used to make jelly. recipe: Place cleaned berries in a pot with sufficient water to cover and cook until berries begin to pop. They need not all pop. Let juice drip through a jelly bag (or cloth) squeezing only slightly.

To make jelly: Combine 6 1/2 cups juice with one package of SureJell, in a pot large enough to allow strong boiling. Bring to a hard boil and add 7 cups of sugar. Let come to a hard boil again and for only one min. Remove from fire and fill jelly glasses. Freeze or can juice for making jelly later. It has a different flavor all its own.



Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahonia_trifoliolata


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