cercocarpus breviflorus

I've become a bit obsessed with the cute seeds and curlicue tails of the local mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus breviflorus).

 There are other mountain mahoganies which are grown here, C. montanus (I see it on the web referred to as alder leaf mountain mahogany, and "true" mountain mahogany, which I think is ridiculous, as if the other mountain mahoganies are "false") and C. ledifolius (curl-leaf mountain mahogany), but the local variety is just as beautiful. C. montanus has rather broad deciduous leaves, and seems to be bushier.  C. ledifolius has leaves that curl under and are evergreen on a more upright plant.

They all have these curly seed tails, though. Plants seem to be dioecious, although I wonder if some are bisexual. The plant I have grown from seed looks to be unfortunately male, having flowers, but no seeds.

The plants when young are bushy and upright when growing in the wild, but with irrigation are more lanky.

With age, they are spreading and gnarly, with a strong character that speaks of the southwest.