Smoke Bush Size
Forum Archives
hollysue
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: May-22-2005 at 2:39pm
Purple smoke tree - Cotinus?
How difficult is it to control the size of a smoke tree? Can you cut it back yearly? I worry about the size since it seems like most are listed as 12-15' tall and wide.
Thanks!
holly
cjmiller
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: May-24-2005 at 4:51pm
I wonder if the purple ones are taller than the yellow ones, because I planted one that has golden leaves at the same time that my neighbor planted a red one and mine is about 4 to 5 ft tall and hers is wellover 7 or 8 ft.
Carol
EmilyK
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: May-24-2005 at 8:17pm
I was hoping that someone else would chime in on this one. I also just planted a smokebush with the idea of coppicing it yearly. Since this was its first Spring in the ground, I'll cut it down for the first time next year. It's gonna be scary! I read that cotinus are ideal for coppicing. Left untrimmed, they can get at least as big (if not bigger) than 12-15 feet tall and wide--I see larger specimens all the time near certain freeways and in some municipal plantings--I wish I could be more specific.
EmilyK
Trish
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: May-24-2005 at 9:40pm
My Cotinus is still puny, so I'll pass this along as theory only. I was told that it can be pruned hard every year to gain bigger leaves and better color, but at the cost of any blooms.
Fern
Location: Washington, Western Cascade Foothills
Posted: May-24-2005 at 9:42pm
I too am interested in what people think about how small you can keep it because customers ask me that sometimes. It doesn't seem to grow too fast here, but I haven't grown it myself. It likes full sun and well drained soil and that is in short supply in my yard.
Fern
basilgirl
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: May-24-2005 at 10:04pm
from what i know, this plant wants to get established and then away thing goes! so wait, take care, then, away it goes!! And give it room to spread. prune hard after the bloom. Give it time to come back before winter. or prune hard in the winter/spring after fresh growth is on, to the size you want.
Love this plant!
Phlox
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: May-25-2005 at 12:59am
I've had two of them, now I only have one cause I gave one away. They have both been planted in sun/part shade in good drainable soil. I usually cut them back after flowering (if thats what you want to call it) and/or after a growing spree that puts branches where I don't want them.
The one I still have I keep to about 6' and it doesn't mind being trimmed at all. I have two or three babies comming up from seed and hope they get big enough to sell or give away.
I haven't noticed any drastic change in leaf size and it does continue to put out nice 'clouds' of smoke. I had gotten it from a friend quit a few years ago. Her tree was tall and scragly looking but was really pretty when it 'smoked'. Mine came from the seeds that had dropped from her tree.
hollysue
Location: Washington, Southwestern
Posted: May-25-2005 at 7:43pm
Thanks, everyone! Sounds like one I can definitely handle!
Holly
tommyb
Location: Oregon, Willamette Valley
Posted: May-26-2005 at 6:28am
Had a purple(?) one until last year, tried to "control" it by cutting back severely in the spring. I got seven foot sprouts each time. So out it came---wrong location for a large shrub. Never did see blossoms. Seemed to react to pruning by over achieving.
My Golden one is in place, new location, for it's first spring, with a green and yellow Euonymus,Blondy, as a "skirt". It seems happy.
Tom

Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton