Cotinus coggygria

RHS Plant Profile

smoke tree

Other common names

American smoke tree, Hungarian sumac, Indian sumac, purple fringe, scotino, smoke bush, Turkish sumac, Tyrolean sumac, Venetian sumach, Venus's sumach, wig tree, young fustic, Zante wood

Synonyms

Rhus cotinus

Shrubs

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A large, bushy, deciduous shrub to 5m, with rounded leaves turning yellow, orange and red in autumn. Large feathery inflorescences are buff at first, later greyish

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 4-8 metres
Max Height: 4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H5

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Anacardiaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Cotinus are large deciduous shrubs or small trees with simple, obovate leaves often colouring well in autumn, and insignificant flowers borne in large, plumy panicles in summer becoming colourful in fruit
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: S Europe to C China

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most well-drained fertile soils in sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Pruning group 1. Responds well to renovative pruning

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), verticillium wilt and powdery mildews in dry conditions