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Common Name: Mountain Mahogany

General Information

Cercocarpus ledifolius is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 8.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Western N. America - Washington to California, west to Wyoming, Arizona and New Mexico.

Habitat

Dry gravelly arid slopes in the mountain ranges of the interior regions, 1500 - 2700 metres[, ].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	8.00 m
Growth Rate	Slow
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Requires a position in full sun in a perfectly draining soil[]. Succeeds in dry soils. Tolerates maritime exposure[].
Some forms of this species are hardy to about -17°c[].
A slow-growing tree or large shrub, it is not a true evergreen, but its leaves persist over winter and do not fall until after the new leaves are growing[].
Some members of this genus have a symbiotic relationship with certain soil micro-organisms, these form nodules on the roots of the plants and fix atmospheric nitrogen. Some of this nitrogen is utilized by the growing plant but some can also be used by other plants growing nearby[].

Edible Uses

The scraped bark makes a flavourful addition to a brew of Mormon tea (Ephedra spp.)[].

Medicinal

Mountain mahogany was employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints[]. It is virtually not used in modern herbalism.
The bark is antihaemorrhagic, cardiac, stomachic and tonic[]. A decoction has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds, pneumonia, spitting up of blood, stomach aches, diarrhoea (including for children), tuberculosis and VD[].
A poultice of the green powdered wood has been applied to sores, cuts, wounds and burns[]. It has also been sprinkled on syphilitic sores[].
An exudation from the plant has been dried, ground into a powder and applied to the ear to treat earaches[].

Other Uses

A red dye is obtained from the inner bark[].
The wood is extremely hard and so dense that it will not float in water[]. It is also brittle[]. It makes an excellent fuel, giving off intense heat whilst burning for a long time[]. It is occasionally used in the manufacture of small articles for domestic and industrial use[].

Propagation

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].