"DoubleDown" Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany

This cultivar is a dwarf plant of the species Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intracatus (also referred to as Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany). As a dwarf species of broadleaf evergreen plant, it has the potential to fill a need in the landscape industry or to provide a new bonsai application.

Problem

Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany (otherwise known as Cercocarpus ledifolius var. intricatus) is typically a small shrub with somewhat dispersed, small, evergreen leaves and a very random branching pattern. It is usual for plants to have internode lengths ranging from 70-75mm and leaves around 18mm long and 4mm wide.

Solution

This cultivar was selected for its dwarf growth habit, which has been retained both in the nursery and the landscape. Established DoubleDown™ plants have an average internode length of 3.9mm. Their leaves are a dull green color and among the smallest seen in Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany (fully developed DoubleDown™ leaves are about 5.3mm long and 1.2mm wide, with the longest leaves approaching 10-11mm long).

Benefits

This cultivar has good general landscape performance. It has a slow growth rate and enjoys bonsai performance claims. It has limited apical dominance, allowing for lots of new shoot growth, which can be trimmed and trained as desired. It is easily shaped, and produces vertical, horizontal, and cascading growth. It has a decumbent growth pattern with heavy, intricate branching. The ratio of trunk size to overall plant size is high, giving an old, heavy looking stem to the fairly small plants. It is strongly evergreen, retaining leaves even along the main stem. The evergreen leaves are highly persistent and resistant to winter sun scald. It has never shown any susceptibility to insect pests and is well-adapted to coarse, porous soil.

Applications

This cultivar appears to do well in dry, well-drained, weed-free environments. It seems that it would do well in most low-water landscapes. It should be adaptable over a wide geographical area and should be cold hardy from zones 2-6. This cultivar could fill a present need in the landscape industry for dwarf, broadleaf evergreen plants. It also has great potential as a novelty bonsai plant. ‘DoubleDown’ Littleleaf Mountain Mahogany™ is part of the Sego Supreme™ plant introduction program at Utah State which develops, evaluates, and promotes new, well-adapted plant cultivars for the growing conditions of the western United States. The plants are selected for their drought tolerance, ornamental attributes, and dependability in professional and home landscapes, with the intent that they can be grown successfully in many climates and conditions. Plants in the Sego Supreme™ program are licensed to nurseries and greenhouses that are also part of this program with revenues supporting ongoing breeding and research efforts at Utah State University's Botanical Center in Kaysville, Utah.

Contact

Questions about this technology including licensing availability can be directed to:

Christian S. Iverson, MBA
Executive Director, Technology Transfer Services
(435) 797-9620 christian.iverson@usu.edu


USU ID C20051

 

Inventors


Larry Rupp, Ph.D.
Dept. of Plant, Soils, and Climates

Youping Sun, Ph.D.
Dept. of Plant, Soils, and Climates

Richard M. Anderson
USU Botanical Center

JayDee Gunnell, M.S.
USU Botanical Center

Development Stage


Available for License

Patent Status


Available for License

Publications


"Sego Supreme™ Plant Introduction Program" - USU Botanical Center