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. coggygria f. purpurens – Rhus cotinus – Venetian sumac – Eurasia Smoke Bush – This bushy, rounded tree or shrub, grows 10-15′ feet tall and wide. It produces broadly oval, purplish young leaves, to 3″ long, turning light to mid green then, turning orange to red in autumn. Fruiting panicles, to 6″ long, are purplish pink.
Zones 5-10
