Cotinus obovatus

American Smoketree

  • 6-10' long panicles
  • Flower clusters resemble pink puffs of smoke
  • Amazing fall color
  • Tolerates long droughts, heat, and dry and gravelly soils
  • Provides cover for birds and other wildlife
  • Moderate deer resistance

American Beauties Native Plants

Purchase options for American Smoketree

  • Size: #3 4-5'
  • Status: BeautiFULL
  • Availability: In Stock

$103.00


This large grower might take up a little space in the landscape but it will reward you with great looking foliage and unique bloom while providing outstanding shelter and nesting for native songbirds. Aggressive growing, this plant's branches are covered with roundish, cool gray-green foiliage. Branch tips top off with 6 to 10" clusters of 100's flower buds that bloom in June. While these flowers are fairly insignificant, each flower gives rise to a long, purplish-pink stalk that, when grouped with the 100's of others in the same cluster, gives this plant its famous smoky 'bloom' for which it was named. Easy to grow, this plant can be a summer showstopper in the landscape, sports tremendous orange to reddish fall foliage color and is a perfect plant for keeping near a bird feeder to house those hungry native birds.

Attributes
Native
Maintenance and Care
Drought Tolerant
Critter Resistance
Deer Resistant
Flower Color
Pink
Season of Interest (Flowering)
Early Spring
Spring
Late Spring
Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Partial Shade
Habit
Upright
Soil Moisture
Dry Soil
Average Water
Growing Tips for Cotinus obovatus

American smoke tree prefers rocky, well-drained, limestone soils, sand, loam, or clay. Once it is established, it thrives on tough conditions and neglect and should not be over-watered. Rich soil and too much water may create a weak plant.