American Smoketree

Description
Scientific Names: Cotinus obovatus, Cotinus americanus
Common Names: American Smoketree, Chittamwood
Plant Type: Mid-size deciduous tree.
Height: 20 to 30 feet.
Native Habitat: Rocky uplands and ravines, openings in hardwood forests.
Native Range: Southern United States. Scattered populations in an irregular pattern from Tennessee to south-central Texas.
Conservation Status: NatureServe lists Cotinus obovatus as Critically Imperiled in Georgia, Imperiled in Tennessee and Alabama, and Vulnerable in Oklahoma. Officially the species is put into the category of Special Concern in Tennessee.
Cultivation: Although the American Smoketree can survive harsh conditions and neglect, it grows faster and blooms more profusely in good soil and a sunny exposure. It is more tolerant of alkaline soils than most native species, but may dislike permanently-moist conditions. Do not over-fertilize. Seeds need both warm and cold stratification, and can take up to two years to germinate.
Related Species: There are no other native species in this genus. The common smoketree generally sold in nurseries is an import from Eurasia.

Bloom Time: May to June.

Native to Missouri, American Smoketree is a small, rounded, deciduous tree or large shrub that matures to 20-30 ft tall. The common name comes not from its large greenish yellow flower clusters in June, but from the billowy smoky pink plumes that follow the flowers. Smoke display continues through much of the summer. Exciting fall color includes yellow, orange, red and reddish purple. Best growth occurs in somewhat infertile, well-drained soils.

The American Smoketree gets its name from its clusters of tiny blossoms which from a distance look like puffs of smoke. The individual blossoms are greenish-white, but the fuzzy flower stalks, which can be pink or purple, add additional color. The effect is often subtle, and male trees usually put on a somewhat showier display. The flowers on female trees develop into small seeds that are eaten by some finches. The leaves, which are bright green in summer, can turn to a spectacular orange-red before dropping in autumn. Specimens in sunny locations generally have the best color, but genetic variations or soil characteristics may have an influence.

American Smoketree should not be confused with the non-native Common Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria), which is sold in many nurseries and often planted in yards. The American plant, though in some ways more attractive, is much less common in landscapes. It is also very uncommon in the wild, being mostly restricted to isolated stands in an irregular band from Tennessee to Oklahoma and Texas. In cultivation the species has proven to be cold hardy in the north, which suggests that it once grew there. Possibly it migrated toward the south during the ice ages, but still retains its former cold-hardiness. Despite its rarity, the American Smoketree is easy to grow. It is tough enough to tolerate rocky alkaline soils and long droughts. Young plants in sunny locations can grow rather rapidly, up to two feet a year.