This coppicing does compromise the flowers for that season but is sometimes warranted to keep this plant in scale and refresh the older growth with new stems. This regrowth can easily be 6′-9′ of new growth in one season and I’ve seen even more significant growth. Cutting smokebush back severely (coppicing) in late winter/early spring will result in a very lush regrowth in spring with larger than typical leaves. When placing them in the landscape, you do have to account for their mature size but they can be cut back severely in winter to maintain their size. While typically multi-stemmed in terms of growth, there are single stem opportunities.
These plants typically will reach heights around 15′ or so although I have seem some taller, older specimens. Leaf spot, rust and verticillium wilt can be problems for this genus although stressed plants are more likely to suffer from these ailments.
Smokebush is deer resistant and hardy from zones 5-8 although zone 4 hardiness is possible with some winter protection. Again, with superior drought tolerance, smokebush doesn’t care for heavier, wet soils and a neutral to alkaline pH soil is ideal. The best fall color is on specimens growing in those “leaner” soils. This is a woody plant that doesn’t need rich soils and will thrive in rocky, dry, infertile soils with sharp drainage. The deepest maroons and golds on those selections are most intense in spring with some fading during the heat of summer. The plume like flowers (termed “open terminal panicles”) have very fine, extended “hairs” that darken over time giving a lengthy show of “wispiness”! Many selections have colorful foliage (maroon and gold being common) and most will also have some degree of good to excellent fall color which is variable. In terms of their cultural needs, they are very similar and their primary ornamental value revolves around the “smoke-like”, fluffy flowers that extend interest well in to summer. The American smokebush ( Cotinus obovatus), native to the Southeastern United States from Tennessee to Alabama and west to Oklahoma and Eastern Texas is commonly available as are the many cultivars of European smokebush ( Cotinus coggygria) which is native from Southern Europe to Central Asia and Northern China. Other varieties below are identified under the photo. Directly above is the variety ‘Royal Purple’ which is one of the more commonly available selections. At the top of this blog is the variety ‘Grace’ which is a hybrid between American smokebush ( Cotinus obovatus) and ‘Velvet Cloak’ European smokebush ( Cotinus coggygria). This blog includes many photos of this plant that I’ve taken over the years and represents some of the fun selections that are available for the home gardener. I’ve always appreciated the value of smokebush (also called smoke tree) out in the landscape as a solidly performing woody plant with plenty of “curb appeal”.
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