Growing And Planting Smoke Trees In The Landscape

Tips for Growing Smoke Trees Purchase a good tree from your local garden center. They grow well in a high pH soil and should be located where they can get full sun or partial shade, however, they do prefer full sun and will bloom at their best in full sun. When the smoke tree blooms it is a beautiful tree.

Do smoke trees have invasive roots?

The American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) is a small tree growing up to 30- 40 feet tall. ... Most tree roots do not penetrate deeply - the system spreads laterally. Small trees like the Cotinus obovatus will have smaller root systems and are not considered invasive.

Can you root a smoke tree branch?

You can also do smoke tree propagation by rooting semi-hardwood stem cuttings. The wood should not be the new growth. It should snap cleanly when you bend it. ... Remove the lower leafs, then strip off a little bark on the bottom end of the cutting and dip the wound in root hormone.

What can I plant with a smoke bush?

Smoke bush companion plants can include:

Viburnum.
Ninebark.
Tickseed.
Ornamental grasses.
Spirea.
Weigela.
Black-eyed Susan.
Helenium.

How long does it take for a smoke bush to grow?

The purple smoke tree grows moderately fast. The Arbor Day Foundation defines this as vertical growth of 13 to 24 inches per year.

How long does a smoke tree live?

Smoke Tree Lifespan. How long does a smoke tree live? On average, about 20 years, give or take.

How deep are smoke tree roots?

Smoke bush has a nicely contained fibrous root system and is easy to transplant. Start by root-pruning the shrub several months before you plan to move it, by digging a 12-inch to 24-inch circle, 14 inches deep, around the plant's base.

How tall does a smoke tree get?

The smoketree grows to a height of 10–15' and a spread of around 12' at maturity.

Can you take cuttings from smoke bush?

Propagate cotinus with softwood cuttings, taken in summer.

How do you grow a smoke tree?

Choose a planting spot with full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil with a pH between 3.7 and 6.8. ...
Dig a planting hole twice as wide as the smoke tree's root ball and as deep as the root ball is tall, so that the top of the root ball is flush with the ground level.

Can you keep a smoke bush small?

Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria) is in a classification of shrubs that can also be grown as a small tree. In its perennial range across U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 4 through 9, the method of pruning smoke bush helps determine whether this plant takes a shrub or tree form.

Do smoke trees lose their leaves in winter?

Smoke trees lose their leaves in the winter but in the spring their new growth and fluffy clusters of flowers attract admirers. ... They can be cut back in late winter like any shrub. The result is lush growth in the spring, keeping the plant to 6 or 8 feet.

Are smoke trees messy?

Smoke trees will get big over time. If you prefer there are smoke bushes that will not get as big. They are not a messy bush. All the is needed when planting is peat moss in the bottom of the hole.

How much sun does a smoke bush need?

Be sure to plant a smoke bush in a spot that gets full sun—at least six hours a day.

Why is my smoke bush not blooming?

Smoke trees need hot, full sun. Not enough sun and they contort and grow very irregularly, like what you are describing. ... When buds form and then fail to bloom, there can be several different reasons, one possibility is there is not enough sun when the buds are ready to bloom.

Can you trim smoke tree in summer?

Trimming smoke trees can be done in late winter or very early spring. ... Summer flowering trees such as smoke tree need to be pruned before flower buds have shown. The rule for pruning deciduous flowering plants states that if it flowers after June 1, like the smoke bush, you need to prune in early spring.

Is Smoke Tree poisonous to dogs?

Smoke Tree and Pets. ... Yes, the seeds and other parts of the tree are poisonous. However, it is unlikely that the dog will be eating it. Still I would recommend keeping the animal away from the tree.

How tall does a royal purple smoke tree get?

Moderate growing; reaches 15 ft. tall, 10 to 12 ft. wide. Dark foliage, smoky blooms, and warm fall colors make this an excellent addition to the garden.

Is there a dwarf smoke tree?

Cotinus coggygria 'Lilla'

A dwarf form of the beloved "Royal Purple' cultivar, perfectly proportioned for smaller gardens. Forms a small, rounded, deciduous shrub with all of the color and interest of its larger cousin. Frothy plumes of pink flowers rise above the wine red foliage in the summer.

How do you move a shrub without killing it?

Lay a piece of polythene by the side of the plant or shrub. Then dig widely around the base, trying not to damage the root system too much. Get as much of the root ball out as you possibly can. Push a spade well underneath the root ball, then carefully lift the whole plant onto the polythene.

Is a smoke tree deciduous?

This unusual display, combined with striking foliage, makes Cotinus a wonderful accent plant or addition to a shrub border. Smoke trees are deciduous, leafing out mid-April in Sonoma County and dropping their leaves in mid-to-late December.