Pronounciation: Co-TIE-nus cog-gee-GREE-uh

Hardiness zones:
Sunset 8-9, 12
USDA 7-11

Landscape Use: Accent, specimen, background, screen for mixed landscapes at mid-elevations in Arizona.

Form & Character: Upright, variable, rounded to irregular ranging from dense, full and compact to open and spreading, seasonally colorful and wispy like smoke.

Growth Habit: Evergreen to deciduous (depending on climate), woody, perennial large shrub or small tree, moderate growth rate to 6 to 20 feet tall depending on cultivated selection with equal to somewhat lesser spread.

Foliage/Texture: Leaves alternate, green to purple, simple, oval to obvate, 1.5- to 3.5-inches long with rounded tips, strong pinnate veination, elongated, distinct petioles to 1-inch long that are mostly colored with flavonoid pigmentation; medium texture.

Flowers & Fruits: Tiny flowers on terminal, complex panicles sometimes to 12-inches long, ranging in color from smokey brownish grey to pinkish red, flowers often abort; fruits tiny drupes, rare.

Seasonal Color: Wispy, smokey flowers during late spring to early summer, late fall color leaf color, often brillant, usually yellow, orange, red to scarlet. Some cultivated selections produce colorful leaves throughout the growing season.

Temperature: Cold hardy, but intolerant of temperatures above 110^oF. Culture in Phoenix is difficult to impossible due to extreme desert summer heat.

Light: Full sun to filtered shade or some shade from western summer sun, no full shade.

Soil: Tolerant, but must be well drained.

Watering: Regular supplemental irrigation is necessary for successful growth in most Arizona landscapes.

Pruning: Prune lightly and not frequently to shape.

Propagation: Asexually by stem cuttings.

Disease and Pests: None

Additional comments: Smoke tree can be a wonderful addition to landscapes above 2,500 feet in elevation in Arizona towns and cities such as Prescott, Chino Valley, Cottonwood, Sedona, Benson, Wilcox, Sierra Vista, Safford, Payson, Page, Kingman, Winslow, Williams and even Flagstaff. However, culture in Phoenix and Tuscon is neigh impossible due to the extreme summer desert heat. This is a major bummer for us low desert dwellers as this is a spectacular landscape ornamental.

There are many wonderful cultivated smoke tree selections including:

• 'Ancot' GOLDEN SPIRIT (golden spirit smoke tree) - small tree with golden yellow foliage, limited fower production.
  
• 'Daydream' - dark green foliage, pinkish flower clusters, slow growing.
  
• 'Flame' - hybrid between Cotinus coggygria and Cotinus obovata, vigorous, pink inflorescence, orange-red fall foliage color.
  
• 'Nordine Red' - cold hardy, bronze-red leaves throughout the growing season
  
• 'Pink Champange' - green foliage with a slight burgundy margins, pink inflorescences, upright habit.
  
• 'Royal Purple' (royal purple smoke tree) - dense and compact habit, purple foliage.
  
• 'Smoky Joe' - green foliage, compact habit.