Description
Cotinus – Smoke Tree – Smoke Bush –
There are 3 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, in this genus. They occur in rocky habitats from the Mediterranean region to Southwestern China and in Southern USA. They are grown for their alternate, simple, broadly elliptic to rounded to oval, untoothed, green and purple leaves, which color well in autumn, and for their hairy, plume like panicles, which appear in summer producing a hazy, smoke like effect. The leaves turn red, yellow and orange in autumn. The flowers and small, ovoid fruits are inconspicuous. Grow in a shrub border or as specimen plants, or plant in groups.
Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Purple leaves forms color best in full sun.
Prone to verticillium wilt, ands powdery mildew.
C. obovatus – C. americanus – Rhus cotinoides – C. cotinoides – American Smoke Tree – Chittamwood – This broadly conical shrub or small tree from rocky hills of Central and Southeastern USA grows 30′ feet tall and 25′ feet wide. It has attractive, plate-like gray to gray-brown bark. It produces obovate to oval leaves, to 5″ or more long, pinkish bronze when young, turning brilliant orange, scarlet to purple in autumn. Large, plume like, pinkish gray fruiting panicles, to 12″ long, are in summer and persist into autumn, although not as spectacular as other species. Tolerate alkaline soil.
Zones 4-9
