Birch-leaf mountain mahogany

Cercocarpus montanus

Long-lived evergreen tree or shrub 3-20 ft. tall with whitish-yellow tubular flowers and seeds with a long spiraled hairy tail, blooming May to September. Adapted to neutral pH sites with coarsely drained, poorly developed, shallow to moderately deep soils on dry mountain slopes, ridges, mesas, desert foothills and rock outcrops; 4,000 to 10,000 ft. elevation. Extensive rhizomatous root system; able to fix nitrogen. May be dominant or codominant in pine-oak woodlands, mixed coniferous forests, alpine shrub, mountain brush, sagebrush, aspen and pinyon-juniper communities. Vigorous root sprouter after low-severity wildfire. Important year-round forage for deer and elk; bighorn sheep browse in summer. Numerous small mammals and birds use for nesting, cover and seeds. Caterpillar host plant for Behr's hairstreak butterfly, Mountain mahogany hairstreak butterfly and Western sheepmoth.