Cercocarpus betuloides
Birch leaf mountain mahogany
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Cercocarpus betuloides (Birch leaf mountain mahogany) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by Leaves broad (1--7 cm), widely elliptic to obovate, thin, serrate/dentate/crenate (toothed birch-like); stamens 25--45.
Birch leaf mountain mahogany is a California native shrub found in various mountain ranges and foothill regions in chaparral and woodland habitats. Flowering from April to July, this plant produces small, subtle cream to white flowers with numerous stamens. Growing with spreading to erect branches 1 to 3 meters tall, it forms a dense, multi-stemmed structure with a rugged appearance. Its leaves are widely elliptic to obovate, 1 to 7 centimeters long, with finely toothed edges and a slightly hairy undersurface. The fruit is a distinctive 8 to 12 millimeter strigose structure with a long, feathery style that can extend up to 11 centimeters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Leaves broad (1--7 cm), widely elliptic to obovate, thin, serrate/dentate/crenate (toothed birch-like); stamens 25--45
Habitat and range
California counties: Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Tuolumne, Lake, Shasta, Santa Barbara, Tulare, Riverside, Siskiyou, Trinity, Colusa, Fresno, Alameda, Butte, Santa Clara, Amador, Sierra, Ventura, Tehama, San Mateo, Sonoma, Del Norte, Yolo, Solano, Mendocino, Napa, Glenn, El Dorado, San Benito, Yuba, Madera, Calaveras, Mariposa, Lassen, Monterey, Stanislaus, Sutter, Nevada
How to tell it apart
vs Ceanothus: Cercocarpus has no petals and feathery-tailed fruits; Ceanothus has tiny cupped petals and berry-like capsules.; vs Holodiscus: Cercocarpus flowers lack petals entirely; Holodiscus has tiny white petals in showy foam-like panicles.; vs Quercus: Cercocarpus has feathery-tailed fruits; oaks have acorns in cups.; vs Rhamnus: Cercocarpus has feathery-tailed dry fruits; Rhamnus has smooth berry-like drupes.; vs Alnus: Cercocarpus has feathery-tailed single fruits; Alnus has woody cone-like catkins.
Frequently asked questions
Is Cercocarpus betuloides native to California?
Yes. Cercocarpus betuloides is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Cercocarpus betuloides grow?
Cercocarpus betuloides occurs in Kern, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, San Diego, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Tuolumne, Lake and other counties.
What plant family does Cercocarpus betuloides belong to?
Cercocarpus betuloides is in the Rosaceae family, genus Cercocarpus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides — Birch-leaf mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae — Island mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus — Few flowered mountain mahogany
- Cercocarpus ledifolius — Curl-leaf mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus — Curl leaf mountain mahogany
- Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus — Little leaved mountain mahogany
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-06
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.