Cotinus: Country Or Region Of Origin
Europe, China, East Central and Southeastern U.S.A, Mexico
Plant Profile: Cotinus
Taxonomy: CotinusNames
American Smoketree, Smokebush, Smoketree
Phonetic Spelling:ko-TYE-nus
Genus:Cotinus
Species:Cotinus
Family:Anacardiaceae
Smoketree is a small deciduous tree or shrub that belongs to the same family as sumac. It features vibrant, eye-catching foliage and delicate, airy blossoms.
When it comes to pests and plant health, it can sometimes be affected by powdery mildew and verticillium wilt.
Tags
#small tree
#small spaces
#drought tolerant
#specimen
#native tree
#deciduous shrub
#native shrub
#showy leaves
#colorful leaves
#accent plant
#interesting leaves
#airy
#deer resistant
#deciduous tree
#clay soils tolerant
#native
#dry soils tolerant
#fall leaf color
Similar Plants
Cotinus Feature Summary
Attributes
Europe, China, East Central and Southeastern U.S.A, Mexico
Woody
Seed
Stem Cutting
Layering
Fruit
Each drupe will contain a single seed.
Drupe
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Tree
Broadleaf Evergreen
Multi-stemmed
Erect
Spreading
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Dry
12-24 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
Flowers
Gold/Yellow
Panicle
Spring
Summer
> 6 inches
Leaves
Broadleaf Evergreen
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
Purple/Lavender
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Red/Burgundy
Simple
Alternate
Ovate
Obovate
Entire
1-3 inches
Smooth
Stem
Landscape
Drought Tolerant Garden
Native Garden
Border
Hedge
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Small groups
Specimen
Flowering Tree
Small Tree
Drought
Deer
Dry Soil
Patio
Lawn
Naturalized Area
Small Space
Slope/Bank
Cotinus Image Gallery
Cotinus Attributes
Cotinus: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Cotinus: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Cotinus Fruit
Cotinus: Fruit Description
Each drupe will contain a single seed.
Cotinus: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Cotinus Whole Plant Traits
Cotinus: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Cotinus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Cotinus: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Cotinus: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Cotinus Cultural Conditions
Cotinus: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Cotinus: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Cotinus: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Cotinus: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Cotinus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Cotinus Flowers
Cotinus: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Cotinus: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Cotinus: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Cotinus: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Cotinus Leaves
Cotinus: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Cotinus: Leaf Color
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Cotinus: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
Cotinus: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Cotinus: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Cotinus: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Cotinus: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Cotinus: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Cotinus: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Cotinus: Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Cotinus: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Cotinus Stem
Cotinus: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Cotinus Landscape
Cotinus: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Cotinus: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Cotinus: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Cotinus: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
