Smokebush Cotinus coggygria
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Smokebush:
Previously known as:
- Cotinus cinereus
- Cotinus coriarius
- Cotinus ellipticus
- Rhus cotina
- Phonetic Spelling
- ko-TYE-nus kog-GY-gree-uh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
-
Smoketree is an upright spreading deciduous shrub or small tree in the Anacardiaceae (cashew or poison ivy) family. It will provide a wide range of garden interest throughout the season.
The smoky pink flowers are showy, wispy, and airy and appear in mid-summer. They consist of many filaments which make up a cloud of color on the current season's growth. Fall foliage is reddish-purple and the crushed leaves smell like a radish.
While it prefers to be planted in well-drained soil in the full sun it is adaptable to wide range of soil pH. The purple-leaved varieties planted in the shade may have its leaves revert to green. This plant has a fibrous root system which is easy to transplant, and once established, is drought tolerant. Prune it back in late winter 6 to 8 inches above the ground will rejuvenate its shape. This will sacrifice any flowering for that year however. To preserve the flowers leave 1/3 of the old stems on the plant.
In the garden, this plant is best used as a large accent plant, single specimen, or planted in a row as an informal hedge. Smokebush has many cultivars, but the flowers are often sacrificed for the interesting foliage color or bright orange or yellow fall leaf color.
Quick ID Hints:
- Shrub with alternate, simple, purplish leaves with parallel veins
- Inflorescence is panicles of smoky pink flowers
- Leaves green or reddish-purple
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Although typically considered pest and disease free, it has some susceptibility to rust, leaf spot, and verticillium wilt. This plant is in the same family as poison ivy and contact with the resinous sap may cause contact dermatitis especially to those sensitive to poison ivy.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Hydrangeas in the Garden Hidden Vegetable Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT
- 'Daydream'
Dark green - 'Pink Champange'
Orange pink leaves
'Royal Purple'
Noted for deep purple almost black foliage during the growing season - 'Daydream'
- 'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT, 'Daydream', 'Pink Champange', 'Royal Purple'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT
- 'Daydream'
Dark green - 'Pink Champange'
Orange pink leaves
'Royal Purple'
Noted for deep purple almost black foliage during the growing season - 'Daydream'
- 'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT, 'Daydream', 'Pink Champange', 'Royal Purple'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Cotinus
- Species:
- coggygria
- Family:
- Anacardiaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- S. Central Europe to China
- Wildlife Value:
- 4 Lepidopteran larvae depend on the Cotinus genus.
- Play Value:
- Attractive Flowers
- Easy to Grow
- Wildlife Larval Host
- Dimensions:
- Height: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 10 ft. 0 in. - 15 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Shrub
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Multi-trunked
- Open
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Medium
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 6-feet-12 feet
- 12-24 feet
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5b, 5a, 6b, 6a, 7a, 7b, 8b, 8a, 9a
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Fruit:
- Fruit Type:
- Drupe
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Small drupe, not showy, kidney shaped.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Pink
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Panicle
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Small, yellow flowers are inconspicuous but are cloudy wispy looking with pink hairs on flower stalks that form off of current season growth. Panicles are 6"-8" long providing a show in the summer. Panicles of smoky pink flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Deciduous Leaf Fall Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Medium blue-green in the summer turning yellow or red/purple in the fall. 1.5-3.5 in. Alternate, simple leaf with entire margins, parallel veins; yellow, red, purple fall color. Oval/obovate, rounded or slightly acute apex, well defined parallel veins, bluish-green, margins curl under slightly,
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Smooth
- Bark Description:
- Young bark is smooth light gray becoming more rough with age.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Stem Description:
- Brown or purplish, multistemmed with many lenticels.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Butterfly Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Screen/Privacy
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Diseases
- Drought
- Insect Pests
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
