Cercocarpus, Genus, ledifolius, Species,
- Genus & species
mountain mahogany
Overview
Cercocarpus ledifolius is an evergreen shrub or small tree reaching 10-30 feet (3-9 m) tall and 8-15 feet (2.4-4.5 m) wide at maturity, with a gnarled trunk and rounded to irregular crown. Bark is gray to reddish-brown, smooth on young stems and developing furrows on old trunks. Leaves are alternate, leathery, lance-shaped, 0.5-1.5 inches (1.3-3.8 cm) long with margins curled under (revolute) — the trait reflected in the species epithet. Foliage is dark glossy green above, white-tomentose below. Small, apetalous flowers appear in May and June. Achene fruit bears a long, twisted, plumose tail (style) 1.5-3 inches (3.8-7.5 cm) long that turns silvery-white as it ripens from August through October. Backlit fruiting plants take on a silvery cast. Growth is slow at 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) per year; documented specimens persist for 200-1,300 years in their native range and the wood is dense enough to sink in water.
Native Range
Native to the Intermountain West of North America, from eastern Washington and Oregon south to Arizona and east to Colorado. Found on dry, rocky slopes, ridges, and canyon walls at 3,000-9,000 feet (900-2,750 m) elevation. Most abundant on calcareous or basaltic substrate with shallow soils where competition from taller trees is limited.Suggested Uses
Used in xeriscape and dryland restoration projects in zones 5-8, spaced 10-15 feet (3-4.5 m) apart for specimen plantings or 6-8 feet (1.8-2.4 m) for screen effect. Silver fruit is visible from August through October at sites where established. Range-revegetation projects in the Great Basin employ the species for browse and erosion control on dry slopes.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height10' - 30'
Width/Spread8' - 15'
Bloom Information
Apetalous flowers (lacking petals; calyx and stamens only) appear in May and June; flowers are wind-pollinated and 0.1-0.2 inches (3-5 mm) across. Fruit ripens from August through October, with silvery plumose tails reaching mature length and color from late August onward. Fruit persists on the plant for 6-8 weeks before tails detach and drift on air currents.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
dark glossy green above, white-tomentose belowGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun on shallow, well-drained alkaline to neutral soils; tolerates rocky, poor soils that exclude most other woody plants. Established plants are highly drought-tolerant and require no supplemental water in zones 5-8 once past the first season. Sites with summer irrigation cause root rot. Plants are slow to establish from seed and seedlings can take 3-5 years to reach 12 inches (30 cm) tall. Browse from deer and elk shapes wild plants but is tolerable for established cultivated specimens. Wildfire kills mature plants; the species does not resprout reliably from the crown.Pruning
Prune sparingly in late winter to remove deadwood or crossing branches; the slow growth rate means recovery from pruning takes 2-4 years. Hard rejuvenation pruning is not tolerated; cut stumps rarely resprout. Crowded interior branches that die back can be removed at any season for plant health.Pruning Schedule
Prune: February–March
winter
