Cercocarpus
( ser - koh - KARP - us )
At-A-Glance Information
Cercocarpus, or Mountain Mahogany, is a group of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and trees native to the West. Most have an open branching structure, are slow-growing and have long-lasting fruit that appears in fall. These shrubs need little to no water and full sunlight. Native American populations in California used the wood of these shrubs for arrows, digging, and for spearing fish. Use these shrubs for screening or creating barriers. Cercocarpus plants are long-lived, though they are frequented by hungry deer.
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Cercocarpus Species and Varietals
The genus Cercocarpus includes nine distinct species, and is included in the Rose family, Rosaceae. The name comes from the Greek words for tail (kerkos) and fruit (carpus). This genus is one of the oldest in the world; one shrub is reported to have lived 1,350 years! Mountain Mahogany growing zones vary by species; refer to the descriptions below for more information. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Cercocarpus betuloides (Hardtack, Mountain Ironwood, Sweetbrush) This is an evergreen shrub and can also be grown as a tree. It is native to the foothills below 6,000 feet in Oregon, California and Northern Baja California. Grows best in zones 3, 5, 7-10 and 13-24. Gets to be 5-12 feet high and wide. Leaves are dark green on top, pale underneath with toothed edges. |
Cercocarpus intricatus (Cercocarpus ledifolius intricatus) An evergreen shrub growing 3-9 feet tall and wide. Native to eastern California and Utah, it grows well in zones 2, 3, 7, 9-11, 14-16 and 18-24. It is a slow grower, with intricate branching and tiny rolled leaves that are green on top and grey underneath. |
Cercocarpus ledifolius (Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany) Evergreen shrub or tree that grows best in zones 1-3, 7-10 and 14-21. Native to eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevadas to the Rockies. Can become a 20 foot tall tree in warmer climates and in colder climates is more of a slow-growing hedge or smaller tree. Leaves are leathery and dark green with white undersides and rolled edges. |
Caring for and pruning Cercocarpus shrubs
Plant these shrubs in full sun to partial shade in very acidic to slightly alkaline soil that is well-draining. They do well in rocky soils. When mature, these plants only require one watering per month in the summertime; they are very drought-tolerant. They do not need fertilizing, and the only pruning required is to remove dead, dying or damaged branches. Mountain Mahogany is hardy to -10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Propagation
Cercocarpus is best propagated by seed. Although this is the best way to propagate, it can be difficult, as the seeds require some work before they can be sown. For those new to gardening, it would probably be best to purchase a plant from a nursery. To propagate your Cercocarpus shrub via seed, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Cercocarpus by Seed
Propagating Cercocarpus by Seed
- Keep in mind that the Cercocarpus plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on Cercocarpus plants are pretty easy to spot, they're attached to feather-like styles. Harvest as many as you can, and place them in a paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area until you are ready to plant them.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Then, soak your seeds in water and store in the refrigerator for a few days. There is some evidence that this will increase the chance that the seeds will germinate. After soaking, place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 1-3 months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until they have reached an adequate size for planting outdoors.
Problems and Pests
Cercocarpus plants are not bothered by pests or disease, though deer do like to munch on the foliage.
Gallery
Videos
How efforts are being made to save members of the Cercocarpus genus.
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Identifying Mountain Mahogany.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 233, Cercocarpus
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