How to Grow and Care for Smoketree

Smoketree, also known as Eurasian Smoketree, Smoke Bush, Venetian Sumac, Purple Fringe

Smoketree is known for its distinct, puff-like flower clusters and vibrant autumn foliage. This plant thrives in full to partial sun and requires well-drained soil, making it relatively low-maintenance and suited to a variety of garden settings. Special care points include pruning in late winter to maintain shape and encourage flowering. Moreover, smoketree is drought-tolerant once established, but it benefits from occasional watering during prolonged dry spells. The care difficulty for smoketree is easy, making it an ideal choice for both novice and experienced gardeners.

Watering schedule: Every 1-2 weeks

Sunlight Requirements: Full sun

Toxic to Humans

In This Article

Planting and Growing Smoketree

Toughness	High
Care Level	Low
Care Difficulty	Easy
Lifespan	Perennial
Watering Schedule	Every 1-2 weeks
Sunlight Requirements	Full sun
Soil Type	Garden Soil
Soil pH	6-7.5
Planting Time	Spring, Fall
Hardiness Zones	5-11
Toxicity	Toxic to Humans

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Varieties of Smoketree

Smoketree 'Grace'

Smoketree 'Grace' is a cultivar created by crossing the American smoketree with a regular smoketree to produce a tree which has a beautiful color foliage and abundant flowers. The foliage is light red initially and darkens to deep red, finally turning orange in the fall. The flowers are pink and feathery, which from a distance looks like smoke and gives the plant its name.

Smoketree 'Royal Purple'

Smoketree 'Royal Purple', also known as smokebush, gets its name both from its profusion of purple-red leaves, and from the ‘fluffy’ appearances of its flowers which are pale and plumy and look like smoke from a distance. This popular variant can grow up to 4.5 m tall and wide and is visually striking in a garden.

Smoketree 'Candy Floss'

Smoketree 'Candy Floss' is distinct for its larger flower plumes of light pink. A cultivar of Cotinus cogyggria, its name comes from the wispy pink blooms that look like cotton candy. Though blooming in midsummer, this plant is also spectacular in autumn when its foliage turns yellow, red, and purple.

Smoketree 'Golden Spirit'

The smoketree 'Golden Spirit' is a cultivar from the cashew family. This tree received a merit award from the Royal Horticultural Society. This shrub’s leaves are incredible and change from chartreuse, to yellow, and then to pink, orange, and red. It flowers in the summer and its blooms resemble purple puffs of smoke. The smoketree 'Golden Spirit' is so named because it is a far more golden color than its relatives.

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The Toxicity of Smoketree

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More General Info About Smoketree

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Smoketree is recognized by its purplish, simple leaves that align alternately along the stems, possessing parallel veins. The leaves display a color spectrum ranging from green to a reddish-purple hue. Announcing its presence in the garden is smoketree's remarkable inflorescence, comprised of panicles that create a smoky pink visual effect. The overall growth habit of smoketree can be categorized as an upright and spreading deciduous shrub, or occasionally taking the form of a small tree. This multiplicity in hues and structures lends a variety of visual interest throughout the growing season.