Cotinus ([ Sunset Western Garden Book, 1995:606–607]), the
smoketree or smoke bush, is a genus of seven species of in the family Anacardiaceae, closely related to the ( Rhus).
Characteristics
They are large
or small
, native to the warm temperate Northern Hemisphere. The
leaf are
deciduous, alternate, simple oval shape, 3–13 cm long. The
are clustered in a large open terminal panicles 15–30 cm long with a fluffy grayish-buff appearance resembling a cloud of smoke over the plant, from which the name derives. The
fruit is a small
drupe with a single
seed. Often classified in
Rhus in the past, they are distinguished by the leaves being simple (not
pinnate) and the 'smoke-like' fluffy flower heads.
Growth
The American smoketree (
Cotinus obovatus, syn.
Rhus cotinoides) is native to the southeastern
United States, from
Tennessee south to
Alabama and west to
Oklahoma and eastern
Texas. It is a larger plant, frequently becoming a small tree between tall, with a trunk from in diameter. The leaves are also larger, 6–13 cm long; it also has varied but very bright fall color, usually brighter than the
species. The foliage is described to be a red wine-like, and the shrub has deep pink flowers in the summer. The flower heads are usually sparser than in
C. coggygria.
Cultivation and uses
The smoke trees, particularly
C. coggygria, are popular
garden shrubs. Several bronze or purple-leaved
of
C. coggygria have been selected, with warm pink inflorescences set against purple-black foliage; the most common in commerce are 'Notcutt's Variety' and 'Royal Purple'. When brought into cultivation together, the two species will form hybrids; some garden cultivars are of this parentage.
Cultivation is best in dry, infertile soils, which keeps the growth habit more compact and also improves the autumn colour; when planted in fertile soil, they become large, coarse and also tend to be short-lived, succumbing to verticillium wilt disease. They can be in early spring, to produce first-year shoots up to 2 m tall with large handsome leaves, but no "smoke".
==Gallery==
External links
