Mahonia aquifolium or Oregon Grape is not a grape at all but gets its common name from the appearance of its fruit which is purple and bears a dusted look.

This plant naturally grows in Western North America from Alaska through Canada and into the mountainous areas of California where it is evergreen, tolerant of frost & snow, summer drought and the foliage is wilt resistant. It is a dense shrub growing 1-2 metres (3 – 6 ft) high and 1,5 metres (5 ft) wide with leathery leaves resembling holly while the stems have a corky appearance. The yellow flowers are borne in a dense cluster in late spring; the fruit is a grape-sized berry, purplish-blue and dusted.

The American Indians ate the berries with another sweet fruit because of their tartness. The berries can be made into jellies and the juice can be fermented to make a wine similar to Barberry Wine or brandy. The leaves, which resist wilting, are often used in fresh flower bouquets by the florist industry.

This shrub also supplies material for dyeing. The inner bark of the larger shoots and roots give a yellow dye while the berries provide a purple dye.