Plants Pacific Northwest

Cotinus Coggygria - Royal Purple Smoke Tree

Note: These plants can be dangerous if improperly used. The author, and/or ernestartist.org assume no liability for experimentation of use.

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Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

Cotinus Coggygria: Royal Purple Smoke Tree, Smoke Tree, Smoke Bush, Venetian Sumac, European Smoketree.

Smoketree is a rounded, broadly spreading, and sometimes multistemmed shrub that grows to 15'. The upright branches become open and loose as the plant ages. The purplish brown stems have a waxy bloom when young and develop thin blocky light gray bark as they grow older. The smooth bluish green oval leaves are 1.5-3.5" long. They are borne alternately on long stems and have parallel veins and rounded or notched tips. In the fall, they turn bright shades of yellow, orange, purple, and red. The actual flowers are inconspicuous little yellowish green blossoms that appear in early summer, but the long pinkish filaments on the stems of the bloom clusters create a striking cloudlike effect through the summer. The fruits are tiny kidney shaped brown berries.

In early October the smoke tree transitions purple leaves to brilliant shades of red and gold.
There are a number of striking purple-leaved cultivars with darker purplish red flowers. 'Royal Purple' is one of the most popular, but least cold hardy. It has leaves that unfurl maroon red, mature to an extremely dark wine purple, then fade to a greenish purple with reddish pink edges before they turn vivid scarlet in the fall.

Intense color is this plant's most outstanding feature. The purple-leaved varieties can be used to form a dramatic dark backdrop for summer's bright flowers and bright green foliage. Then, as the flowers fade in the fall, the smokebush will take over and light up the landscape with brilliant fall color. The unique billowing cloudlike appearance of the flowering shrub can be used for fantasy effects. All this drama can be possible even if all you have to offer is a dry gravelly soil where it is hard to get anything else to perform well. This species was popular in Victorian gardens and is thus suitable for many garden restoration projects. The flowers attract bees.

* Please be aware of the dangers of the juices in every part of this tree: Skin contact can cause dermatitis in sensitive people.

Cotinus Obovatus - Smoke Tree

Botanical Glossary - Home

Note: These plants can be dangerous if improperly used. The author, and/or ernestartist.org assume no liability for experimentation of use.

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Ernestartist.org assumes no liability for experimental use of medicinal plants, food plants or herbal remedies.

Cotinus Obovatus: Smoke Tree, American Smoke Tree, Cotinus Americanus.

Cotinus: from kotinos, Greek name for the olive. obovatus: obovate, widest above the middle, refers to the leaves.

American Smoketree, which is native to the south-central United States, is a similar species that can grow into a 30' tree. Its pink blossoms are not showy, but it has beautiful gray bark and its foliage turns spectacular shades of orange, purple, gold, and rose red in the fall.

* Please be aware of the dangers of the juices in every part of this tree: Skin contact can cause dermatitis in sensitive people.