Jesse Saylor
Family
Anacardiaceae
Botanical Name
Cotinus obovatus
Plant Common Name
American Smokebush
General Description
Unlike other cultivated Cotinus, the American smoketree lacks big, super showy puffs of summer smoke, but what it lacks in smoke it makes up in smashing fall color. Landscape specimens of this small tree may be single or multi-trunked and have an open, rounded habit. Natural populations exist across the South Central United States, from Missouri and Kentucky down to Georgia and Texas, and favor open uplands with dry, rocky, limestone soils.
The simple leaves of American smoketree are perfectly oval with rounded ends. They tend to be blue-green and waxy above and lighter green beneath; new leaves often have a pinkish blush and the fall foliage turns brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red and purple-red. Both the leaves and the stems are resinous and fragrant when broken or crushed. Effervescent, branched panicles of green or greenish purple support inconspicuous flowers with fluffy pink appendages in mid to late spring. The trees are dioecious, which means plants produce either male or female flowers. The female trees produce tiny greenish berries in summer.
Choose an open, sunny, upland spot with neutral to alkaline soil for best performance. Otherwise, this tough, drought tolerant tree is quite easy to grow and has few pest and disease problems aside from occasional late-season fungal leaf spots. American smoketree looks best when grown as a single-trunked specimen tree in an open lawn. It grows relatively slowly but looks great when mature.
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Insignificant
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Flower Color
Yellow Green, Light Pink
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Fruit Color
Green, Light Pink
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Pink
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Light Green, Blue Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Gold
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
Yes
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
Yes
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
No
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Showy Bark
No
