purple smoke tree

Hi everyone my smoke tree dies back every winter ,and has a realy hard time of it thay are a zone 5 im zone 5b ,this shouldn't happen should it. anyone out there with the same problum

Hi Digging_dirt, All I can find is that it can die down at the colder limits of it's range, which is zone 4. It also doesn't like rich soil or too much water towards the end of the season because it needs to harden off for winter. Hope this helps. It says they are a big tree and really spectacular in bloom.

It could be anything, what are it's symptoms?

I don't know what your weather's like during the winter, but if you don't always have a lot of snow cover or if you get a lot of strong cold winds that could make a plant do poorly even in a zone that it's supposed to be OK in. Or you can have different microclimates in your yard, so if the smoke tree is in a place that is actually colder than most of your yard the same thing could happen (for example, I have some places in my yard where I can grow zone 10 plants that survive the winter even though I'm in zone 9, but there are other places in the yard where zone 8/9 plants have a hard time and die back each year from frost)

Or maybe something's eating it--do you know for sure it's dying back, or is there a possibility that a deer/rabbit/etc is coming along and munching it down to the ground?

Thanks guys,
I do put compost around it every year ,will not do it this year.
and our winters are not that bad how ever sizing up were i have it .It's realy exposed to the wind that can be realy strong at time so it could be drying out in the winter from the wind,mmmmmm never though about that.
and what happend it the woody part look like a dried prune and brittle
in the spring it turns gray and brakes realy easy.
but this year we had a wonderful mild warm winter and it looks to come through it good lots of leaf buds now.
was talking to a friend of mine ,who lives behind me and her smoke tree doze the same thing so it just maybe the area we live in.

I'm only guessing about this, but how far north are you? I have no idea where Comebychance is located.

It might have something to do with your latitude and photoperiodism. Hardiness zones don't tell the whole story. Cotinus evolved in southern latitudes and might not be able to cope well with your northern day/night cycles regardless of winter temperature extremes. It also might need more dry heat in summer than you have in your area.

Regardless, follow Billy's advice and keep it on a lean, dry diet to make it harden off better in late summer. Or, if it comes back strongly each spring from the roots, consider treating like an herbaceous perennial and keep it vigorous. That will give you the most colorful foliage anyway, if you really want gaudy purple all summer.

Guy S.

I have a purple smoke tree and it thrives here in Montana. It is placed in an area of poor native soil, clay and thin humus. I don't compost this area. It also is morning sun shade most of the day and sun for 2 hours at end of day. I agree with the dry thing cause in michigan they grew naturally in poor dry soils. When ever I have problems I move the plant and start over in a new area that is different to the poor location. IE Sun, soil, root zone etc. They transplant quite easily but it does slow down their growth for a couple of years. Good luck DD

Starhill
I'm From Newfoundland,canada with a zone 5b.now overly cold winters but can be wet,i take it thay aren't parcial to alot of water.
Its funny because the white one doze realy will here.