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
- Description
-
Cotinus coggygria is an upright spreading deciduous shrub or small tree in the cashew family. It prefers to grow in full sun as its leaves will revert back to green in the shade, and it tolerates a range of soil pH and soil types. and provides a wide range of garden interest throughout the season. Different cultivars may have different color foliage which will change to shades of bright orange and yellow in the fall.
The flowers are showy, whispy, and airy. They consist of many filaments which make up a cloud of color on the current season's growth. The color of the flowering is largely a smoky pink to light purplish-pink which is dependent on the cultivar. In the garden, this plant is best used as a large accent plant or single specimen. You can prune it back to the ground in late winter and have it form an informal hedge. Even if you do not want a hedge you can prune the plant back to 6"-8" above the ground to rejunivate the form but you will not get any flowers that year. If you would like to have flowers then leave 1/3 of the old stems on the plant.
This plant has a fibrous root system which is easy to transplant, and is drought tolerant but can be damaged by deer.
It has many cultivars but the flowers are often sacrificed for the interesting foliage color in these cases.
Quick ID Hints:
- Shrub with alternate, simple, purplish leaves with parallel veins
- Inflorescence is panicles of smoky pink flowers
- Leaves with radish orod when broken
- Leaves green or reddish-purple
Blooms early to mid-summer, male is showier, unique wispy smoke look when flowering. Fall foliage is reddish-purple. In summer, a broken leaf smells like a radish.
Prefers well-drained soil but is adaptable to wide range of pH, prefers sun. Pest/disease free.
- See this plant in the following landscapes:
- Hydrangeas in the Garden Hidden Vegetable Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Ancot'
- 'Daydream'
Dark green - 'Golden Spirit'
- 'Pink Champange'
Orange pink leaves
'Royal Purple'
Noted for deep purple almost black foliage during the growing season - 'Ancot'
- 'Ancot', 'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT, 'Daydream', 'Golden Spirit', 'Pink Champange', 'Royal Purple'
- Tags:


























- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Ancot'
- 'Daydream'
Dark green - 'Golden Spirit'
- 'Pink Champange'
Orange pink leaves
'Royal Purple'
Noted for deep purple almost black foliage during the growing season - 'Ancot'
- 'Ancot', 'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT, 'Daydream', 'Golden Spirit', '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
- 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
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
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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
- 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:
- Summer
- Flower Description:
- Small, yellow flowers are inconspicuous but are cloudy whispy 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 Description:
- Brown or purplish, many lenticels.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Drought Tolerant Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Flowering Tree
- Hedge
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Drought