Alderleaf Mountain Mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus
- Native to:
- Mexico, United States
iNaturalist: © bruce70147 (iNaturalist #326028173)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Rosaceae
- Genus:
- Cercocarpus
- Species:
- Cercocarpus montanus
- USDA Symbol:
- CEMO2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Shrub , Tree
- Height:
- 450 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- apr,may,jun
- Landscaping Shrub:
- Yes
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, deer, small mammals
- Fall Color:
- yellow
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from root crown following fire. Common in fire-prone montane shrublands.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–60 days
- Notes:
- Cold stratification improves germination. Seeds may germinate erratically over several weeks.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are soaked overnight in water and stratified for 60 days at 3 to 5 C. Alternatively, seeds can be stratified naturally by planting them in the fall in a thin layer of sand on mulched field beds.
Establishment: Seeds are wild collected during fall months and are kept separated according to site, elevation and source. Ripening data varies from August to October depending on latitude and elevation of the seed source. Some seeds will germinate readily during stratification beginning around the fourth week of treatment. Removing germinants frequently helps to reduce fungal build up in the seed lot during the remainder of stratification, and increases the survival odds for those seeds germinating during stratification.
Source: npn.rngr.net
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 4C for 3 months, then place @ 20C for 3 months.