Q: I really like the yellow flowers and purple-blue berries that I've seen on mahonias furthur north in California. Are there native ones I could grow here?

A:  Yes, there are quite a few species and hybrids, from ones that grow 10 ft tall to ground covers, that will do well in our area. One of the best is Mahonia "Golden Abundance", a hybrid developed years ago at the California Botanic Garden. This one grows upright to 8 ft tall and can be planted 4 ft apart to use as a hedge. The prickly, dark-green, holly-like leaves make a good barrier. Birds love the berries. Plant in full sun (although it will tolerate some shade it will flower less), water the first year to get established, and after that it does fine with regular or little or even no water. For a really prickly, grayish-leaved native with translucent red berries, you might consider Mahonia nevinii. It is endangered in the wild but available in nurseries.  Mahonia repens does fine in light shade and is a good choice for a ground cover.