Cercocarpus minutiflorus
Smooth mountain mahogany
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Rosaceae · Type: Shrub · Native
Cercocarpus minutiflorus (Smooth mountain mahogany) is a native California shrub in the Rosaceae family, recognized by glabrous abaxial areoles, southern California distribution.
Smooth mountain mahogany is a California native shrub found in the Peninsular Range in Riverside and San Diego counties, growing in chaparral habitats at elevations below 1,400 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white to cream-colored flowers in clusters of 2 to 10 blooms. Growing as a shrub 1 to 6 meters tall with an upright, somewhat branching form, it develops a sturdy woody structure. Its leaves are widely obovate, thin, and slightly serrated, measuring 1 to 2.5 centimeters long with 3 to 6 lateral veins and glabrous undersides. The fruit is an elongated structure 8 to 12 millimeters long, topped by a distinctive feathery style extending 4.5 to 6 centimeters.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; distinguished by glabrous abaxial areoles, southern California distribution
Habitat and range
Habitat: Chaparral
Elevation: < 1400 m
California counties: San Diego, Riverside, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Alpine
Outside California: northern Baja California
Bloom period
Cercocarpus minutiflorus blooms Mar-May.
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 minutiflorus native to California?
Yes. Cercocarpus minutiflorus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Cercocarpus minutiflorus bloom?
Cercocarpus minutiflorus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Cercocarpus minutiflorus grow?
Cercocarpus minutiflorus occurs in San Diego, Riverside, Orange, San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles, Alpine, at elevations of < 1400 m.
What plant family does Cercocarpus minutiflorus belong to?
Cercocarpus minutiflorus is in the Rosaceae family, genus Cercocarpus.
What habitat does Cercocarpus minutiflorus grow in?
Cercocarpus minutiflorus grows in Chaparral.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Cercocarpus sp. — Mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus traskiae — Catalina island mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides — Birch leaf mountain mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. betuloides — Birch-leaf mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. blancheae — Island mountain-mahogany
- Cercocarpus betuloides var. macrourus — Few flowered mountain mahogany
- Chamaebatia australis — Southern mountain misery
- Chamaebatia foliolosa — Mountain misery
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.