American Green Smoke

Description

American Green Smoke Tree (Cotinus obovatus): A Distinctive Native Tree with Multi-Season Interest

Key Features:

• Unique, billowy flower clusters with a smoky appearance
• Vibrant fall foliage in shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple
• Adaptable to various soil types, including alkaline and rocky soils
• Drought and heat tolerant
• Attracts butterflies, pollinators, and songbirds

Specifications:

• Scientific Name: Cotinus obovatus
• Common Name: American Green Smoke Tree, American Smoketree, Chittamwood
• Family: Anacardaceae (Cashew, Sumac family)
• Native Locale: North America
• Mature Size: Ranges from large shrub (more than 8 feet) to medium tree (25-40 feet)
• Growth Rate: Slow
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-8

Detailed Characteristics:

1. Growth Habit:
   • Can be grown as a large shrub, compact tree, small tree, or medium tree
   • Warty brown-gray bark with a fish-scaled pattern adds winter interest
2. Foliage:
   • Spring leaves are silky pink, turning bluish to dark green in summer
   • Fall leaves are vibrant shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple
3. Flowers:
   • Inconspicuous green-yellow clusters, 6-10 inches long
   • Billowy hairs turn smoky pink to pink-purple in summer, creating a “smoke” effect
4. Bark:
   • Warty brown-gray bark with a fish-scaled pattern
   • Adds visual interest in winter

Care Instructions:

1. Light Requirements:
   • Thrives in full sun to partial shade
2. Soil Needs:
   • Prefers alkaline, well-drained soil
   • Tolerates a wide range of soils, including clay and shallow rocky soil
3. Watering:
   • Drought-tolerant once established
   • Prefers moist conditions but avoid overwatering
4. Fertilization:
   • Avoid over-fertilizing
   • Prefers infertile loam soil
5. Pruning:
   • Can be pruned to maintain shape and size

Landscaping Uses:

1. Specimen Tree:
   • Ideal focal point for gardens and landscapes
2. Mass Planting:
   • Effective in groups for a dramatic effect
3. Screen/Privacy:
   • Can be used to create privacy screens or barriers
4. Naturalized Areas:
   • Suitable for meadows, naturalized gardens, and slopes
5. Small Spaces:
   • Manageable size makes it suitable for small gardens and patios
6. Butterfly and Pollinator Gardens:
   • Attracts butterflies, pollinators, and songbirds

Seasonal Interest:

• Spring: Silky pink emerging leaves
• Summer: Smoky pink to pink-purple flower clusters
• Fall: Vibrant red, orange, yellow, and purple foliage
• Winter: Warty brown-gray bark with a fish-scaled pattern

Environmental Benefits:

• Supports native wildlife
• Contributes to urban cooling and air quality improvement
• Resistant to deer, drought, heat, and poor soil

Cultivars:

• ‘Cotton Candy’: Known for its unique foliage colors and shapes
• ‘Grace’: Features vibrant foliage and showy flowers
• ‘Red Leaf’: Notable for its red leaves

Conclusion:

The American Green Smoke Tree is a remarkable native tree that offers distinctive beauty and ecological value throughout the year. Its unique flower clusters create a smoky appearance in summer, while its vibrant fall foliage adds a spectacular display of color. The tree’s adaptability to various soil types and its tolerance for drought and heat make it a versatile choice for many landscapes.

This species is particularly valuable for its native status, providing important resources for local wildlife, including butterflies, pollinators, and songbirds. Its manageable size and slow growth rate make it suitable for a wide range of garden settings, from small spaces to larger naturalized areas.

The American Green Smoke Tree’s multi-season interest, from spring leaves to summer flowers and fall foliage, ensures it remains a focal point in any landscape. Its winter bark adds texture and color, providing year-round appeal.

For those seeking a native tree with unique ornamental qualities, ecological benefits, and low maintenance requirements, the American Green Smoke Tree offers an excellent solution. Whether used as a specimen tree, part of a mass planting, or in a naturalized setting, this smoke tree provides enduring beauty and interest throughout the seasons.

For more specific advice on incorporating the American Green Smoke Tree into your landscape, please provide information about your local climate, existing landscape features, and specific gardening goals. This will allow me to offer more tailored recommendations for your unique situation, including tips on placement, spacing, and care to best showcase this beautiful native tree.