How to Grow and Care for Cercocarpus

The shrub alder-leaf mountain-mahogany is native to northern Mexico. Yellow-haired porcupine, deer, sheep, and cattle graze on its thin and smooth bark. The specific epithet, Cercocarpus, from the Greek words for "tail" and "fruit," refers to the hairy tails or feathers of the flowers' elongated shape.

Despite its common name, curl-leaf mountain mahogany is not technically mahogany. It is a long-lived shrub, with one individual reported to be 1300 years old. Curl-leaf mountain mahogany is an important tree for wildlife. It provides shelter to certain animals, while other animal species such as deer feed on the foliage.

Birchleaf mountain mahogany is a tree or shrub that belongs to the rose family. Its wood is the same color and hardness as mahogany, but it isn’t genuine mahogany. Birchleaf mountain mahogany is indigenous to the western part of the United States. The genus name Cercocarpus montanus var. glaber comes from the Greek words “kerkos,” which means “tail,” and “carpus,” meaning “fruit.” That’s because this species produces a fruit with a frilly tail.

Hairy mountain mahogany is a hardy shrub of the Rocky Mountains, flourishing in arid conditions and poor soils. With small, leathery leaves and twisting branches, it stands resilient to the elements. This variety is distinguished by its fewer-toothed leaves and pale, feathery plumes, which are the seed tails that catch the wind for dispersal.

Little-leaf mountain mahogany is a robust shrub with winding branches and finely textured evergreen foliage, reflecting its resilience to dry, rocky environments. Its leaves are small and leathery, an adaptation to conserve water. In spring, little-leaf mountain mahogany reveals modest pinkish-white flowers, which evolve into distinctive feathery plumes, aiding in seed dispersal by the wind.