Eurasian smoketree

The Eurasian smoketree, smoke tree, or Purple smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria, syn. Rhus cotinus) is native to a large area from southern Europe, east across central Asia and the Himalaya to northern China.

It is a multiple-branching shrub growing to 5-7 m tall with an open, spreading, irregular habit, only rarely forming a small tree. The leaves are 3-8 cm long rounded ovals, green with a waxy glaucous sheen. The autumn colour can be strikingly varied, from peach and yellow to scarlet. The flowers are numerous, produced in large inflorescences 15-30 cm long; each flower 5-10 mm diameter, with five pale yellow petals. Most of the flowers in each inflorescence abort, elongating into yellowish-pink to pinkish-purple feathery plumes (when viewed en masse these have a wispy 'smoke-like' appearance, hence the common name) which surround the small (2-3 mm) drupaceous fruit that do develop.

Cultivation and uses

It is commonly grown as an ornamental plant, with several cultivars available. Many of these have been selected for purple foliage and flowers. The wood was formerly used to make the yellow dye called young fustic.

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Image:Cotinus coggygria0.jpgImage:Cotinus coggygria1.jpgImage:Cotinus coggyria.jpgImage:DaydreamSmokeTree.jpg|Cotinus coggygria <br>"Daydream" varietyImage:Purple Smoke Bush1.jpgImage:Purple Smoke Bush2.jpg</gallery>

External links

Wšědny parukownikCotinus coggygria
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