Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae

Island mountain-mahogany, Island Mountain-Mahogany

Family: Rosaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 4.3

Island mountain-mahogany is a California native shrub found on the Channel Islands (except San Clemente Island) and southern Western Transverse Ranges in chaparral habitats at elevations below 600 meters. Flowering from March to April, this plant produces small white to cream flowers in clusters of 1 to 6. Growing as a shrub or small tree 2 to 7 meters tall with spreading branches, it develops a distinctive woody structure. Its leaves are wide to oblong-ovate, 2.7 to 7 centimeters long, with 6 to 8 lateral veins and widely toothed edges. The distinctive fruit has a hypanthium 8 to 13 millimeters long with an elongated style measuring 5 to 8 centimeters.

Habitat: Chaparral

Bloom period: Mar-Apr

Elevation: < 600 m

Bioregions: ChI (exc San Clemente Island), s WTR.

California counties: Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Ventura

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.