Mountain Mahogany

Description

Cercocarpus betuloides is a shrub or small tree in the rose family. Its common names include mountain mahogany and birch leaf mountain mahogany. The common name "mahogany" comes from the hardness and color of the wood, although the genus is not a true mahogany. Cercocarpus betuloides is a shrub or small tree in the rose family. Its common names include mountain mahogany and birch leaf mountain mahogany The common name "mahogany" comes from the hardness and color of the wood, although the genus is not a true mahogany. The white flowers are small, clustered, and mildly scented, similar to acacia. The fruit is a tubular achene with the long, plumelike flower style still attached. The genus name comes from the Greek kerkos ("tail"), referring to the tail-like appearance of the fruit; and carpus ("fruit"), thus, "fruit with tail". The leaves are distinctive in that they have smooth edges from the base to about half way up, then are wavy or toothed to the rounded tip. Betula is the birch genus, and the species name refers to the birch-like leaves.