Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus

Curl leaf mountain mahogany

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus (Curl leaf mountain mahogany), native California shrub

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Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus (Curl leaf mountain mahogany) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by broader oblanceolate leaves with visible veins, more flowers (4-10).

Curl leaf mountain mahogany is a California native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges, North Coast Ranges, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada, Tehachapi Mountains, Transverse Ranges, northern Peninsular Ranges, Great Basin, and Desert Mountains in pinyon and juniper woodland and sagebrush scrub at elevations of 1,000 to 3,256 meters. Flowering from April to August, this shrub produces small white to cream flowers clustered in groups of 4 to 10. Growing as a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree 2 to 7 meters tall with distinctive gnarled branching, it develops a rugged, wind-sculpted form in harsh mountain environments. Its leaves are oblanceolate to lance-elliptic, 1 to 3 centimeters long, with a glabrous to sparsely woolly undersurface that reveals prominent midrib and leaf veins. The fruit develops a feathery, elongated style 5 to 7 centimeters long, which gives the plant an airy, delicate appearance despite its tough mountain habitat.

Identification and appearance

Key characters: 8 sympatric species; distinguished by broader oblanceolate leaves with visible veins, more flowers (4-10)

Habitat and range

Habitat: Pinyon/juniper woodland, sagebrush scrub

Elevation: 1000-3256 m

California counties: San Bernardino, Mono, Inyo, Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Riverside, Alpine, Mendocino, Lassen, Tehama, Shasta, Plumas, Modoc, Ventura, Kern, Tulare, Sierra, Nevada

Outside California: to Washington, Wyoming, Arizona, Baja California

Bloom period

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus blooms Apr-Aug.

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 ledifolius var. intermontanus native to California?

Yes. Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus is native to California (recorded as native).

When does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus bloom?

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus blooms Apr-Aug.

Where in California does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus grow?

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus occurs in San Bernardino, Mono, Inyo, Los Angeles, Siskiyou, Riverside, Alpine, Mendocino and other counties, at elevations of 1000-3256 m.

What plant family does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus belong to?

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus is in the Rosaceae family, genus Cercocarpus.

What habitat does Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus grow in?

Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intermontanus grows in Pinyon/juniper woodland, sagebrush scrub.

Related species

Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.

All Cercocarpus species · All Rosaceae

Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos

Last updated 2026-10-01

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