Cotinus: The Sensational Smoke Tree

When I first started working here on the farm, it seemed like I was learning the name of a new type of flora every day.  Quite frankly, the first time I heard the word, "Cotinus," I thought we were talking about a medical condition...

But when I saw the dramatic burgundy plant, I realized that YES, I did know it. 
 

However, I knew this deciduous shrub by its common name, "Smoke Bush" (or Smoke Tree).  This name comes from the plant's late-season appearance, when its wispy, airy flowers fade into a pearl-white color which literally resembles puffs of smoke.  We harvest the branches before the plant flowers, so don’t expect any wispy smoke from us. 
 

Gardeners have been using Cotinus for years, and it has been bred extensively to grow in various shapes, sizes, and colors.  My favorite is the "Royal Purple" cultivar which we grow here--the burgundy-purple sheen on the upper side of each leaf is paired with a silver-green underside.  Toward the end of the season (and as you can see in the photos), each leaf is framed by a bright red, almost iridescent, edging.  Unique AND breathtaking!

In the wild, cotinus is found on the warm hillsides from Southern Europe to Northern China.  In the Americas, you can find it at our Willow Creek Farm in Northern California.
 

Our Willow Creek Farm

Our Willow Creek farm is in the hills of Humboldt County, nestled in a sunny valley (elevation 640 feet) right on the banks of the Trinity River.  Though it's only a 45 minute drive from our coastal Arcata farm, the climate here is much different.  The inland location and higher elevation provides more sunshine and a lot more heat (10-30 degrees more during the summer!).  These atmospheric conditions are perfect for growing cotinus, since it loves full sun and warmth.

6-foot tall Royal Purple Cotinus, back lit by the morning sun

And how it loves to grow! We start harvesting the stems around the first of June and continue to pick through summertime into fall, usually stopping by the end of October.  

At the end of each season, our Willow Creek team trims each plant down to the ground, and from early spring to the end of fall, it will shoot back up to 10+ feet.  According to our growers, Sun Valley's "Royal Purple" cotinus is a dream to cultivate.  It's drought-tolerant, extremely resilient to pests and fungi, requires minimal fertilization, and performs magnificently!


Mixing it Up

The dark coloring of cotinus makes it a very versatile piece for floral design--it can act as a dark background element, stand out as a tall, eye-catching focal, and it looks great mixed with strong colors. 

Its palette of purple, burgundy, and scarlet with bright red edging and silvery green undersides and can really bring out warm pinks, oranges, yellows, and reds. 



  

Royal Lilies, Rose hips, and Cotinus

Cotinus, Snowberries, Sonata Lilies, and Beargrass

Whether it's early in the season or late, the leaves of Royal Purple Cotinus are vibrant and richly hued, and there's always a glint in the dark foliage. The bright veins and edging really makes the dark and dramatic leaves sing. 

We offer 3-foot tall consumer bunches, as well as custom-cut "super bunches" boasting an incredible 6 feet in height.  If you want to make an impact, cotinus is the specialty branch for you!