Smoketree, Common, or Smokebush
Cotinus coggyria
Anacardiaceae - Cashew

Description

Leaves: Alternate; simple; deciduous; oval to obovate; 1" to 3" long; rounded tip; entire; glabrous; blue- green or purple, depending on cultivar; yellow to red fall color, sometimes very attractive.

Twigs/buds: Twigs stout; purple to brown with whitish waxy coating that rubs off; glabrous; obvious small lenticels; orange-brown, solid pith; strong odor when crushed. Buds small, scaly, red-brown, pointed

Flowers/fruit: Flowers dioecious (some are perfect), tiny, yellow, inconspicuous, many do not fully develop; borne on a 6" to 8" long and wide inflorescence in May to June. Fruit a 1/8" to 1/4" wide, dry, drupe. Stalks of flowers and fruit are very showy and smoky looking because of their hairy, pink or purple stalks.

Bark: Thin; gray, furrowed and scaly.

Wood: Little information available. Yellow.

General: A small tree or large shrub native from southern Europe to central China, but widely planted. Adapted to a variety of sites. Intermediate shade tolerance.

Landscape Use: A small, shrubby tree with a very interesting appearance due to its hairy flower/fruit stalks; most flowers abort and do not bear fruit. Somewhat awkward, but still attractive; maybe best planted in groups. Flower/fruit stalks can be removed in winter after they lose their appeal. Plant also can be cut back heavily and allowed to sprout to promote vigor and good color. Various foliage and flower/fruit colors available. Zones 4-9.

Cultivars: 'Black Velvet', 'Cooke's Purple', 'Daydream', 'Flame', 'Foliis Purpureis', 'Grace', 'Nordine', 'Notcutt's Variety', 'Pendulus', 'Pink Champagne', 'Purple Supreme', 'Purpureus', 'Red Beauty', 'Royal Purple', 'Velvet Cloak'.

Characteristics

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