alderleaf mountain mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus
USDA zones5 to 10
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to moderate soil
Size8 to 20 feet tall4 to 8 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- White , yellow
- Foliage color
- Gray/silver, green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Alderleaf mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus montanus) is a tree for borders, specimen planting, and hedges. It is hardy to USDA zone 5, or down to -20°F (-29°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to average, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. The small flowers are followed by showy, silky-plumed seedheads in the summer. Deer tend to pass it by. Its roots fix nitrogen, so it also helps control erosion.
Pairs well with Blanket flower, Rock rose, Feather reed grass, and Bristlecone pine.
Native range
CO, NM, and TX.