Hollinshead Water-wise Garden Plants

Photo:

Kathy Ketchum

Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany

Latin Name:

Cercocarpus ledifolius

Upright, course-textured shrub with small dark green leaves emerging from slender gray stems. Seeds have an interesting, silky, corkscrew-shaped tail.

Taxon ID#

17 MAINTENANCE

Maintenance Level:

Low

Min. USDA Hardiness Zone:

4 Sun Preference:

Full Sun

Water Preference:

VL

Soil Preference:

Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers a sandy clay soil and will tolerate drought once established.

Fertilizer Needs:

It is nitrogen-fixing, requiring no fertilizer.

Recommended Mulch:

Family:

Rosaceae

Origins:

Plant Type:

Med - Lg Shrub (usually >3' and never < 1.5')

Oregon

Oregon native:

yes

Western state native:

yes

PLANT DESCRIPTION

Foliage Color:

Green

Foliage Description:

Small dark green leaves emerging from slender gray stems. Leaves are alternate, simple, often clustered at ends of spur-like shoots, 1.3-2.5 cm long, leathery, somewhat resinous, narrowly elliptical, acute at both ends, margins entire and turned under

Fragrant:

no

Predominant flower color:

Yellow

Flower Description:

Flowers are generally small, greenish yellow, trumpet-shaped, and pubescent. Flowers can also be white, red, yellow or green.

Fall color:

yes

Fall Color Description:

Leaves turn russet

Winter Foliage:

Evergreen

Winter Interest:

yes

Winter Interest Description:

Evergreen contrast color to standard conifers. Mahogany colored branches.

Mature height:

10-15'

Mature spread:

10-15'

Growth rate:

Slow

LANDSCAPE APPLICATION

Deer Resistant:

no

Fire Resistant:

no

Attracts Pollinators:

no

Attracts Butterflies:

no

Native Habitat:

Curlleaf mountain-mahogany occupies habitats with low precipitation and extreme temperature ranges. Native ranges from the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range east to Montana and south to Colorado, northern Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. It is w

Attracts Birds:

no

Cut/Dried Flowers:

no

Photo:

Used by Wildlife:

yes

Hedge/Screen:

yes

Swales:

no

Wildlife Use:

Deer use it for cover and food. Big game browse leaves and stems within reach

Border:

no

Erosion Control:

yes

Windbreak:

yes

Cover Structures:

no

Ground Cover:

no

Provides Shade:

no

Rock Garden:

no

Adds Texture/Movement:

no

First Bloom:

Apr

Last Bloom:

May

Ornamental Accent:

no

Garden Observations:

SEASONAL CARE

Spring Care:

Summer Care:

Fall Care:

Winter Care:

Prune in winter; tolerates hedging or shearing (https://www.fs.fed.us/rm/boise/research/shrub/projects/GBNPSIP_TechNotes/Horticulture/HG_Native_Plants_2009-03.pdf)

Long Term Care:

Insect Pests:

Relatively free of disease and insects

Wildlife Pests:

Relatively free of disease and insects

Diseases:

Environmental Problems:

Landscape Problems:

Care Comments:

Performs better in plantings where it is protected from competition by grasses or other herbaceous plants

RESOURCES

OSU Landscape Profile:

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/cercocarpus-ledifolius#

USDA Plants:

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=CELEL

Calscape Database:

https://calscape.org/loc-California/Cercocarpus%20ledifolius%20(Curl%20Leaf%20Mountain%20Mahogany)?newsearch=1

LBJ Native Plant Database:

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=CELEL

Missouri Botanical Garden Database:

http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderProfileResults.aspx?basic=mountain%20mahogany

Hollinshead Water-wise Garden Plants

Photo:

Kathy Ketchum

Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany

​

​

Latin Name:

Taxon ID#

17

MAINTENANCE

Low

Min. USDA Hardiness Zone:

4

Sun Preference:

Full Sun

Water Preference:

VL

Soil Preference:

Grow in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Prefers a sandy clay soil and will tolerate drought once established.

Fertilizer Needs:

It is nitrogen-fixing, requiring no fertilizer.

Recommended Mulch:

​

Family:

Origins:

Plant Type:

Med - Lg Shrub (usually >3' and never < 1.5')

Oregon

Oregon native:

yes

Western state native:

yes

PLANT DESCRIPTION

Foliage Color:

Green

Foliage Description:

Small dark green leaves emerging from slender gray stems. Leaves are alternate, simple, often clustered at ends of spur-like shoots, 1.3-2.5 cm long, leathery, somewhat resinous, narrowly elliptical, acute at both ends, margins entire and turned under

Fragrant:

no

Predominant flower color:

Yellow

Flower Description:

Flowers are generally small, greenish yellow, trumpet-shaped, and pubescent. Flowers can also be white, red, yellow or green.

Fall color:

yes

Fall Color Description:

Leaves turn russet

Winter Foliage:

Evergreen

Winter Interest:

yes

Winter Interest Description:

Evergreen contrast color to standard conifers. Mahogany colored branches.

Mature height:

10-15'

Mature spread:

10-15'

Growth rate:

Slow

LANDSCAPE APPLICATION

Deer Resistant:

no

Fire Resistant:

no

Attracts Pollinators:

no

Attracts Butterflies:

no

Native Habitat:

Curlleaf mountain-mahogany occupies habitats with low precipitation and extreme temperature ranges. Native ranges from the Sierra Nevada and the Cascade Range east to Montana and south to Colorado, northern Arizona, and Baja California, Mexico. It is w

Attracts Birds:

no

Cut/Dried Flowers:

no

Photo:

​

Used by Wildlife:

yes

Hedge/Screen:

yes