In mid-June, we had another opportunity to visit the Oregon Gardens in Silverton, Oregon. We were able to go in early to enjoy the beauty. This time, what caught my eye in the morning light was a small tree with lime-green leaves. It was covered in puffy plumes. Even my non-gardening husband was impressed and wanted to know what it was. I told him the “plumes” reminded me of a Smoke Tree, Cotinus coggygria, that I had first seen in Vacaville over 20 years ago. But that plant had been a deep purple, burgundy color.
Luckily, I found a plant marker: Golden Spirit Smoke Tree, Cotinus coggygria ‘Anton’. I was able to get close enough to see the plumes better. It turns out they are not actual flowers, which on this plant are small, yellow, and inconspicuous. After blooming, the stalks of the faded flowers stretch out and develop fine hairs that give them the wonderful puffy, fluffy effect. It reminds some people of puffs of smoke and others of clouds. In truth, they reminded me of cotton candy.
These small trees /large shrubs grow 10-15 feet tall and wide. They are deciduous and have beautiful fall color before the leaves drop. They need at least 6 hours of sun a day. They can handle many different types of soil, including clay, but need drainage. Once established, they are drought-tolerant. They attract butterflies and can handle deer. The resinous sap can cause contact dermatitis, though, so gloves may be advised.
Later in the day, I found a different, unknown variety of Smoke Tree with leaves and ‘plumes’ darker than the Golden Spirit Smoke Tree but still much lighter than I remembered the Vacaville tree as being. After researching, I suspect the Vacaville plant was either Cotinus 'Purpurea’ or the even darker 'Royal Purple ’.
Two great resources for further information on Cotinus are the website at North Carolina State University. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/cotinus-coggygria/ and The Sunset Western Garden Book.
