Cercocarpus betuloides : The Power of Plants

Plant of the Month – November

Mountain Mahogany Cercocarpus betuloides Plant Form: Evergreen Shrub Water Use: Very Low Mature Size: 8-15 ft. tall x 10-12 ft. wide Exposure: Full Sun, Part Sun Bloom Time: Spring (Mar-May) Native to: California, Oregon, Baja California (below 6,000 feet) Hardiness: Cold hardy to -30°F Mountain Mahogany is a large, upright, evergreen shrub or small tree with beautiful, smooth, light gray bark. Small, wedge-shaped leaves with toothed edges resemble birch leaves, giving this plant its other name, Birch-leaf Mountain Mahogany. Its small, cream-colored, rose-like […]

Filed under Plant of the Month · Tagged with California native plants, California water-wise gardening, Cercocarpus betuloides, Cold-tolerant plants, Drought-tolerant plants, Evergreen shrub, gardening with desert plants, gardening with native plants, Heat-tolerant plants, long-lived desert plants, low water use plants, Mountain Mahogany, Southern California native plants, southwest desert landscaping, southwest native plants, Water-wise landscaping, Water-Wise Plants, Xeriscape plants

I am amazed every day at how much happens on our half-acre of High Desert property. Whether we are simply looking out the window at our bird feeders, working in our yard, or sitting on our deck watching the sunset, my husband and I get the biggest kick out of seeing the dynamics unfolding between our resident covey of a hundred quail, dozens of songbirds, rabbits, antelope ground squirrels, lizards, friendly snakes, occasional coyotes, bobcat, fox, and even hungry hawks.

It’s hard to believe how much activity can be packed into such a small yard when it has various levels of “living spaces,” simulating a multi-story hotel, creating homes galore in ground covers, branches, and canopies of plants. Added to the backdrop of a seasonal procession of color from flowering plants, fruiting shrubs and trees, the happenings in our yard provide continual cause for delight, surprise, inspiration, and celebration.

I hope you enjoy following the fascinating cycle of life that plays out in a yard dedicated to wildlife, water-wise native plants, and other delights of a hopeless plant lover.

Robin Kobaly's Soil Demo

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Join us on a captivating adventure into the world of plants and their impressive uses. Experience the plants growing in your area’s natural community as you never have before…through taste, smell, touch, herbal remedies, landscape, stories and even art.

Find food, medicine, home décor and garden landscaping in the plants native to the southwestern United States, and learn how to prepare them yourself during our hands-on workshops.

Have Fun Learning about Native Plants!

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