Curl Leaf Mountain Mahogany
Cerocarpus ledifolius
8-20 feet high x 6-10 feet wide
Open spreading shape
Zone 4
Full Sun
Out of stock
This drought tolerant Wyoming native is found throughout the foothill country of the Bighorns. This shrub has an upright habit with dark green, leathery leaves with edges that curl under—giving it its name! Most winters the leaves stay green adding interest through out the year. In autumn, attractive, curled, fuzzy seed tails arise adding yet another reason to add this to your western landscape. Very long-lived, in fact we believe that some near the ‘Hole in the Wall’ Country are over 2,000 years old! Consider using this for a western formal hedge. As a native plant it is regularly “pruned” by deer without detrimental effect. It will be a while before it needs shearing but when it gets to your chosen size it will tolerate it well.
Throughout this site, the following are used as guidelines for watering established plants:
These truly xeric plants can live with our 12 inches of natural annual precipitation and only need a winter watering during a multi-year drought, but they will thrive with a monthly watering. Overwatering will kill some of these. These plants are adapted to intermittent deep
watering with soil drying to a depth of a few inches between waterings. Watering frequency may be every couple of weeks during the active growing season and maybe only one winter watering for optimal care. These plants need regular watering somewhat like a bluegrass lawn so that
they never dry to depth in the root system during the active growing season, and need occasional winter watering to prevent root dessication and resultant plant
death. About sizes of our plants:
Sizes indicated with a # are roughly the equivalent in gallonage; so a #2 is about a 2 gallon pot size; b&b stands for balled and burlapped.