Cotinus obovatus
(American Smoke Tree)
Family - Anacardiaceae
Category - Shrub
Origin - South-east North America
Year of Introduction - 1882
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer, Autumn
Hardiness - H6
Height - up to 6m
Width - up to 4m
Description: A large Deciduous Shrub or small tree with a bushy, rounded habit. Obovate to oval leaves emerge an unusual shade of pinkish-green in spring before turning dark green. Small flowers are green and produced in airy, plume-like panicles that can reach to 30cm in length in late spring. Fluffy hairs produced within the panicles provide the distinctive smoke-like appearance through the summer. The foliage turns brilliant shades of red, orange and purple in autumn before falling. Cotinus obovatus has attractive grey bark that becomes scaly with age. C. obovatus can be used as a cut-back plant to control the overall size and maintain a larger leaf size.
Synonyms- Cotinus americanus, Rhus cotinoides
Additional common name - Chittamwood
Flower:
Small green, star-shaped flowers are held in loose, plume-like panicles in May. Fluffy hairs are produced near the flowers and develop to give an attractive smoke-like appearance to the inflorescence through the summer. Flowers are produced on older, more established specimens.
Flower colour: Green, pink
Flower shape: Star-shaped flowers in panicles
Flowering time: May
Foliage:
Relatively large, obovate to oval leaves emerge pinkish-green in the spring and turn to dark green as they develop. The leaves are Alternately arranged on the branches. The foliage turns vibrant shades of red, orange and purple in autumn before falling.
Foliage Senescence: Deciduous
Foliage Shape: Obovate to oval
Autumn Colour: Red, orange, purple
Propagation:
Cuttings.
Cultivation:
Best in full sun to partial shade in fertile, moisture-retentive soil that is well-drained.