Cotinus obovatus (American Smoketree, Chittamwood)
Michael's Opinion
This tree is notable for its beautiful autumn foliage as its colours change through an outstanding yellow, red, orange and sometimes purple range. This tree is worthy of being planted in urban areas, but is commonly seen in parking lot planters. Continus obovatus is typically found in rocky soils, usually mountain type soils from Kentucky, Tennessee, and northern Alabama to western Oklahoma.
Botanical Information
| Family | Anacardiaceae |
| Genus | Cotinus |
| Species | obovatus |
| Synonyms | Chittamwood |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Tree (deciduous) |
| References | Beck, A., Renwald, K. 2001. Trees & Shrub Gardening for Ontario. Edmonton: Lone Pine Publishing. Johnson, H. 2010. The World of Trees. London, United Kingdom: Octopus Publishing Group |
| Origin | Southern United States of America. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses Disclaimer | Dye was harvested from the wood to colour tool handles. |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 5a - 8a |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | 6a |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H7 - H4 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -29 - (-12) |
| Temperature (°F) | -20- 15 |
| Height | 6 - 9 m |
| Spread | 4 - 8 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | April, May |
Description and Growing Information
| General Description | Cotinus obovatus has multiple trunks that are dark orange or yellow in colour. Flowering occurs during springtime, which gives off a smokey-looking effect. When the leaves are young, they have a pinkish or bronze colour, and when they mature, they turn dark green or blue. In autumn, the leaves transform into beautiful shades of yellow, red, orange, and sometimes purple. |
| ID Characteristic | As the flower panicles blow around in the wind, they look like a cloud of smoke hovering about the tree. |
| Shape | Cotinus obovatus has a short trunk with an open crown, and is oval shaped. |
| Landscape | Cotinus obovatus is used in urban environments, and in particular parking lot medians. It can be grown in an above-ground planters since it small stature is suited to this application. |
| Propagation | Few seeds are formed. Seeds that are sown immediately after collection may take two springs to germinate. Scarification and stratification speed up germination. Smoketrees are also propagated from root or stem cuttings or layering. |
| Cultivation | Cotinus obovatus trees can grow in part shade as well as full sun. It has a high drought tolerance but poor soil salt tolerance. It can tolerate acidic and alkaline soil conditions. |
| Pests | Verticillium wilt can kill the tree, but it is not very common. |
| Notable Specimens | The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. |
| Habitat | Native to rocky soil, usually mountain soils from Kentucky, Tennessee, and northern Alabama to western Oklahoma. It also thrives in limestone-enriched soils, and hillsides. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Cotinus obovatus has bark that is orange or brown in colour, that is very thin and easy exfoliates. The bark on older trees flakes off at the base of the trunk, showing dark grey to black colours. |
| Leaf Description | Cotinus obovatus has alternate simple leaves, with an elliptic (oval) obovate shape, an entire margin, and a pinnate vein pattern. Their size may vary between 5 - 20 cm long. |
| Flower Description | Cotinus obovatus has light pink or white flowers that cluster in 30 cm panicles. In the springtime, fairly spaced-out fuzzy panicles begin to grow, giving it a smoky appearance. |
| Fruit Description | The fruit is oval, less than 1 cm in size, and starts as a pinkish or purple colour, then turns brown as the season progresses. |
| Colour Description | In early spring, the leaves have a blue - dark green colour however towards autumn the foliage changes l colours such to orange, purple, red and yellow. The bark is orange in colour but as the tree ages, it becomes twisted up and turns into a darker colour. The flowers bloom in early spring (April/May) as a yellow colour but ripen to pink. |
| Texture Description | The bark is fine, a characteristic that does not change throughout the season. However, it does slightly start to exfoliate as the bark becomes twisted with age. |
Photographs
A plant in the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, Niagara Falls, Ontario.
A young tree in the A.M. (Mac) Cuddy Garden, Strathroy, Ontario.