ALDERLEAF MOUNTAIN MAHOGANY

Cercocarpus montanus

Rose Family (Rosaceae)

A large deciduous shrub, alderleaf mountain mahogany has an upright form with smooth, gray bark and small, deeply veined, toothed leaves that are fringed with short, soft hairs. These leaves turn a pretty gold color in the fall. Alderleaf mountain mahogany flowers in early summer. The flowers are not conspicuous, but are followed by one-seeded fruits that have long, feathery styles. These are quite ornamental in appearance, especially when backlit by late sun. Alderleaf mountain mahogany is not as drought-tolerant as its evergreen relatives curl-leaf and littleleaf mountain mahogany. It is most often found in the foothills in woodland communities on moister, more sheltered slopes, often with a northern exposure. It is widely adapted in the garden, tolerating traditional garden soils and watering regimes, but also doing well in waterwise gardens and leaner soils. It is widely distributed in the western United States. This plant gives a woodsy feel to the landscape and is useful as a screen or specimen plant.