smoke tree

I am thinking of planting a smoke tree (cotinus coggygria) in my yard and would like advice. Is it totally bare in the winter? Does it need a lot of pruning to maintain a good shape? Do you recommend it? Thanks for any replies!

Yes, it is totally bare in winter. In my experience it is more like a bush than a tree, usually, branching low down and billowing outwards. If space is limited, then you may have to prune it back. The purple-leaf varieties are gorgeous, though.

Here in zone 4 it dies back severely each winter too. Not a bad thing, as it springs back nice a fresh each spring. I am not sure what it would do in your zone, but it would still drop its leaves for winter.

C. coggygria is a smoke bush, not a tree. There is a smoke tree (C. obovatus), similar, but very different.

I am happy with mine here in 5a. Very little pruning - it grows more upright and thinner.

Hi Leftwood,

I think that there is plenty of leeway in calling it either a tree or a bush. Many people commonly call it a tree and perhaps not incorrectly so. http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=cotinus+coggygria In my neighborhood, there is a plant that is 15' tall and 10' wide, very arborescent. If it didn't dieback over winter, I'll get a picture of it. In MN, it probably truly a bush all on it's own, but down here in the Banana Belt, it can become a tree unless we get too much of the MN air in winter.

Regards,
Ernie

One of my books gives 6m for C. coggygria, and 9m for C. obovatus.

Resin

I ran out and tried to get a picture of my Royal Purple and my neighbor's smoke tree.

Sorry, everyone. I didn't mean to raise a fuss (and I shouldn't have). Nor did I mean that a smoke bush cannot be a tree. I was talking about the name only, but I see it didn't come across that way. I have seen 12-15ft ones here in Minnesota too. In my silly mind, once again, I think differently than most others.

My apologies.

Mine is a 'purple smoke', and I keep pinching it to make it bushier. It is lovely, one shrub I couldn't be without. If you like dark foliage, this one will never let you down, it doesn't 'go green on you' once the leaves mature.

Christie

My parents have the Royal Purple, have had it for about 15 yrs I'd guess by now. It's never died back over a winter. I have 'Grace'. I got her last year down there in Peoria and she grew from about 3' to 12' in one season. I moved her earlier this year when she was still dormant and she's looking good. Sorry, no picture.

I posted photos of both of my Cotinus in the thread from Frogandtoad June 15. They are both about 10 years and do well in my very alkaline soil.

Donna

Thank you all for the input. I have purchased a small c. coggygria that has beautiful deep purple leaves. I'm looking for the right spot in my yard to plant this new baby.