Cercocarpus minutiflorus
Common name: 
Smooth Mountain-mahogany
Pronunciation: 
ser-ko-KAR-pus min-yoo-tih-FLOR-us
Family: 
Rosaceae
Genus: 
Cercocarpus
Synonyms: 
C. montanus var. minutiflorus
Type: 
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon: 
No
  • Evergreen shrub, much branched, 6-15 ft (~2-5 m) tall.  Leaves alternate, simple, 1-2.5 cm, ovate to obovate, thin to leathery, margin entire to serrate, 3-6 lateral veins, upper surface shiny, bright-green.  Flowers, small, tubular and inconspicuous, but followed by showy, silky-plumed (3-7 cm long) seedheads in the summer.
  • Sun, well-drained soil, avoid frequent summer watering.  Probably best used in stabilizing or restoring disturbed or degraded areas.
  • Hardy to USDA Zone 8?    Mostly found in the chaparral of extreme southern California (San Diego County) and northern Baja California.
  • Some controversy exists on the taxonomy of Cercocarpus, the so-called True Mountain-mahogany is now considered Cercocarpus montanus Raf. and many varieties are now recognized, such as:
    • C. m. var. argenteus, Silverleaf Mountain-mahogany
      C. m. var. blancheae, Island Mountain-mahogany
      C. m. var. glaber, Birchleaf Mountain-mahogany
      C. m. var. macrourus, Klamath Mountain-mahogany
      C. m. var. minutiflorus, Smooth Mountain-mahogany
      C. m. var. montanus, Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany
      C. m. var. paucidentatus, Shaggy Mountain-mahogany
                  (See: www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/).
  • minutiflorus: minute-flowered
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  • fruiting branch

    fruiting branch

  • fruit and leaves

    fruit and leaves

  • single fruit and leaves

    single fruit and leaves

  • leaves

    leaves