Smoke Bush
Cotinus coggygria
Smoke bush has round leaves in purple, green or gold that turn fiery in fall, and in summer it produces fluffy plumes that look like puffs of smoke. Purple forms such as 'Royal Purple' are popular in US and UK gardens.
Photo: Alexander Dunkel · CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
Essential Care Requirements
Light
Full sun
Watering
Low
Water young plants; established shrubs are drought tolerant.
Soil
Well-drained, average soil; pH 6.0–8.0.
Temperature and humidity
-30–38 °C · Moderate humidity
Feeding
Little feeding needed.
Pruning and propagation
Propagate by layering, stem cuttings
Prune lightly for flowers, or cut hard in spring for larger, more colourful leaves.
Not considered toxic, though the sap may irritate sensitive skin.
Top Cultivation Tips
Full sun gives the best leaf colour.
Hard pruning sacrifices the "smoke" for foliage.
Spectacular fall colour.
Hardy in USDA zones 4–8.
Common problems
Powdery mildew
A fungal disease that coats leaves, buds and young shoots with a white, flour-like dust, weakening the plant and spoiling flowers and fruit.
How to treat it →DiseaseVerticillium wilt
A soil-borne fungal disease that blocks the water-conducting tissue, causing leaves to yellow and wilt, often on one side of the plant.
How to treat it →
