Cotinus coggygria
Smoke bush
Common names: Smoke tree, European smoketree
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Hardy
- Pruning
- Feb–Mar
- Flowering
- Jun–Jul
Description
The smoke bush Cotinus coggygria bears cloud‑like, feathery fruit clusters in summer that resemble a wig, giving the plant its name. The round leaves appear in green, purple‑red, or blue‑green depending on the cultivar and turn bright orange to fiery red in autumn. It grows as a summer‑green, wide‑spreading shrub, suitable as a solitary specimen or in free‑standing wild‑bush hedges. All parts of the plant contain tannins; a milky sap may be released when the bark is damaged and can irritate sensitive skin. The plant is safe for gardens when leaves and stems are not chewed or eaten in large quantities by children or pets.
Care instructions
The smoke bush prefers a sunny to partially shaded spot with well‑drained, somewhat lean soil; overly fertile soil can dull the autumn colour. Plant best in spring, mid‑April to early May (week 15‑18), to allow good root establishment before summer. An early‑spring pruning before bud break keeps the shape compact and encourages vigorous new growth with larger leaves, though at the expense of flowering. During the first two years, occasional watering during dry spells is appreciated; thereafter it is very tolerant of drought. Varieties such as ‘Royal Purple’ or ‘Grace’ provide striking dark foliage accents beside green‑leafed shrubs.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringJun–Jul
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, lean, lime-loving, dry
The smoke bush likes poor, free-draining soil, and waterlogged ground quickly harms it. It prefers chalky, stony or sandy soils, and grows noticeably more hesitantly on heavy clay. A sunny, warm and dry spot brings out the finest autumn colour.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding wild shrub, the smoke bush needs practically no feeding. A thin layer of mature compost in spring is quite enough; more would only lead to soft shoots that are prone to frost damage. It is happiest on poor soils anyway.
Pruning
Pruning is not strictly necessary for the smoke bush, but it does it good when it gets too straggly. In late winter, before the new growth starts, thin out old and crossing shoots; this encourages strong new growth with particularly colourful foliage. The plant also tolerates a drastic cut right back to the stump, but that will cost you the year's flowers.
Overwintering
Once established, the smoke bush is perfectly hardy in Central Europe and needs no special protection. Young plants in their first winter appreciate a layer of mulch over the root zone. Frost hardly affects it while dormant, though late frost after the new growth has started can damage young leaves.
Propagation
Methods
- Cuttings
- Layering
- From seed
The most reliable way to propagate it is by semi-ripe cuttings in summer; weeks 26 to 30 are a good time. Alternatively, you can lay a low shoot in the soil as a layer, and it will root there over one to two years. Sowing is possible but tedious, as the seeds need a cold spell before they germinate and the cultivars do not come true to type.
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