Cercocarpus montanus
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ser-ko-KAR-pus mon-TAY-nus
- Description
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Mountain Mahogany is a native shrub or small tree in the rose family found in the western USA and northern Mexico. It is found in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and the great plains. It can reach heights of 20 feet but is often browsed by herbivores so generally stays around 3-8 feet tall. The showy, feathery seed heads are its most attractive feature.
It prefers well-drained sandy to clay loams in full sun and is drought tolerant when established. Use this shrub on slopes for erosion control, borders or open woodland sites.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cercocarpus
- Species:
- montanus
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Western North America
- Distribution:
- AZ , CA , CO , ID , KS , MT , NE , NM , NV , OK , OR , SD , TX , UT , WY
- Dimensions:
- Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 8 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Spreading
- Vase
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Dry
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6b, 6a, 7b, 7a, 8b, 8a, 9a, 9b, 10b, 10a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a hard, cylindrical achene coated with silvery-white feathery tails
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Flowers:
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Insignificant
- Flower Description:
- Flowers are petalless and occur in small clusters of 2-3 in the axils of branches.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Leaves are simple, alternate, lanceolate to obovate. Margins can be entire or toothed. Up to 2 inches long and 1 inch across
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Bark:
- Bark Description:
- Thin and smooth
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought
- Erosion
