How to identify Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria)

How to identify Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria)

Smoketree, also known as Smoke Bush, Venetian-Sumac, Wigtree, Young fustig, Hungarian Sumac, Purple Fringe

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.

Lifespan: Perennial

Plant Type: Shrub, Tree

Leaf Type: Deciduous

Quickly Identify Smoketree

Purplish simple leaves with parallel veins, transitioning from green to reddish-purple.

Wispy pink hairs on yellow flowers in smoky pink panicles, creating a cloudlike appearance.

Inconspicuous kidney-shaped drupes, around 0.2 inches (5 mm) in size, blending into foliage.

Multistemmed, slender yet sturdy stems, around 0.5 inches (1.25 cm) thick, with numerous lenticels.

Trunk transitions from smooth light gray bark to textured ridges and furrows as it matures.

Detailed Traits of Smoketree

Leaf Features

The leaves of smoketree are medium blue-green in the summer, transitioning to yellow, red, or purple in the fall. Measuring 1.5-3.5 inches (4-9 cm) in length, they are alternate, simple with entire margins, and exhibit parallel veins. The leaves are oval or obovate with a rounded or slightly acute apex, well-defined parallel veins, and slightly curled under margins, displaying a bluish-green hue.

Leaf Arrangement

Alternate

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Flower Features

The flowers of smoketree are small and yellow, forming on panicles about 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long. These flowers are inconspicuous individually but create a striking visual with their wispy pink hairs on the flower stalks, giving a smoky pink appearance. They bloom off the current season's growth, providing a showy display in the summer. The unique combination of fine pink hairs and small yellow flowers creates a distinctive, cloudy effect.

Inflorescence Type

Panicle

Learn About the Flower Glossary

Stem Features

The stem of smoketree is characterized by its brown or purplish hue and multistemmed nature. It boasts numerous lenticels, giving it a slightly rough texture. These stems are typically slender yet sturdy, with a thickness around 0.5 inches (1.25 cm), and exhibit a branching pattern that is both extensive and intricate. The lenticels, small raised pores, aid in gas exchange, and the stem's coloration and structure make it distinctive and identifiable.

Learn About the Stem Glossary

Fruit Features

The fruit of smoketree is a small, inconspicuous drupe with a characteristic kidney shape. Each fruit measures approximately 0.2 inches (5 mm) across, typically presenting a subtle, non-showy appearance. Upon maturity, the drupe may exhibit a hardened texture with a coloration that blends into the foliage, often making it less noticeable against the vibrant colors of the plant's more prominent features. These drupes are born in clusters and can provide a subtle texture to the plant's profile when observed closely.

Learn About the Fruit Glossary

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Smoketree and Their Similar Plants

American smoketree vs. Smoketree: What's The Difference?

The American Smoketree is a small, deciduous tree with decorative bark and fall foliage. Its large leaves are pink during the summer and slowly become green or blue as the season changes. It’s generally found in rocky limestone bluffs or glades, and it makes a striking accent in the garden.

Smoke tree 'Royal Purple' vs. Smoketree: What's The Difference?

Smoke tree '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.

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Key Facts About Smoketree

Attributes of Smoketree

Lifespan

Perennial

Plant Type

Shrub, Tree

Plant Height

3 m to 7 m

Spread

4 m

Leaf Color

Green

Red

Yellow

Orange

Blue

Purple

Flower Size

5 mm to 1 cm

Flower Color

Yellow

Green

Pink

Red

Fruit Color

Brown

Purple

Stem Color

Brown

Green

Purple

Leaf type

Deciduous

The Toxicity of Smoketree

Highly Toxic to Humans

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Scientific Classification of Smoketree

Phylum

Vascular plants

Class

Dicotyledons

Order

Maples, mangos, mahogany, citrus, and allies

Family

Cashew

Genus

Smoketrees

Species

Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria)

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Distribution Map of Smoketree

Smoketree is native to Asia and Europe, growing in areas with fertile soil and full to partial sunlight. It is cultivated globally as a garden plant in Europe and the United States.

Native

Cultivated

Invasive

Potentially invasive

Exotic

No species reported

Learn More About the Smoketree

A Comprehensive Guide to Smoketree How to Grow and Care for Smoketree