Cercocarpus Mountanus
Curry Donaldson Agro / Hort 100G Spring 2002
True Mountain Mahogany grows throughout the mountainous parts of New Mexico at elevations ranging from 1200-3000 m. The original collection of the genus Cercocarpus was near the city of Mexico by Humboldt and Bopland in the 1500's. Mountain Mahogany is very valuable in New Mexico as it's palatability is rated as good to excellent for all classes of livestock, making it one of the most valuable winter foods for deer and other herbivorous big game animals. New Mexico's climate is perfect for the Cercocarpus as it thrives in full sunlight and little water. It will grow to as high as twelve feet, but is most commonly seen at heights of three to four feet. True Mountain Mahogany has not been popular as a landscape selection, but could become so as the drought in the southwest continues. With it's bright green leaves and red trunk-base it makes a beautiful addition to any landscape design.
