Winecraft Black® Smokebush (Cotinus)
Shrub
- Unique smoke-like blooms stun in the summer!
- Deep purple foliage develops deeper color through the season.
- Dwarf habit makes it perfect for a variety of landscapes.
- Zones 4-8, sun, 6′ tall x 6' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
Details
Patent: USPP 30,216
Common name: Smokebush
Zone: 4 - 8
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hours sun)
Height x width: 4-6' tall and wide
Flower color: Red-purple
Foliage color: Purple, deepening to near-black
Season of Interest: Summer-fall
Bloom time: Early summer
Features: Space savers, Proven Winners, heat tolerant, deer resistant, cold tolerant, drought tolerant, best for beginners
Uses: Specimen, flower gardens, backdrop, landscaping, hedge
How to Grow
Light: Full sun
Water: Dry to average
Space: 3 ft
Fertilizing: Little fertilizer is needed.
Winterizing: No special treatment is required. A 2-3" layer of shredded bark mulch is recommended.
Maintenance & Pruning: No special care is required. Trim as needed in early spring.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I love looking at the red smoke trees with their flaming flower clusters adorning houses I drive past. But did not buy any in all these years as I was not sure where I could host a tree of that size in my yard. And then I read about compact smoke bushes. Narrowed down two for our yard and found one listed by my fav online shop of 2021. I started planning an ideal area immediately. In summer finally I took up the project, sawed down two Paire japonikas Which were not adding much in terms of year round interest except for retaining foliage during winter months.
I ordered two of these beauties. As always the plants came in great condition, about 7” high each. One with leaves greener than the other, indicating it did not get much sun. I had to leave those in the original pot for about a month as I slowly got their final planting place ready. They were sitting in full sun on my patio and loved it. Within a week all leaves turned a dark purple (almost blackish) shade. Exactly what I wanted. It’s been a month since I have planted those in ground. And they are now showing significant new growth. With their current height of about a foot, they get only about 4 hours of direct sun, so the plants have lost the deep dark coloring but are still looking beautiful. The new leaves are very large.
I am happy with the plants and how they are growing. By next year they should get enough sun at the top half to create interesting color variations in a single plant. Can’t wait for them to fill in the spots. Including pictures, firs one without mulch was about a week after planting, the next two are a month after that. Notice how the color have changed because of sun (or lack of enough sun).
Finally I have my own smoke plants to admire :)
what a disaster, fed-x destroyed this order. I want my money back.
Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
All the bushes i received are doing well except 1 smoke bush. I may have to send in my 60 day warranty if he doesn't pull out of it. So 4 out of 5 are thriving
Love it so much!
I ordered 2 of the perennial smoke bushes and they arrived very well packaged and in good shape. They are a beautiful wine color and are doing very well where I planted them, growing nicely. I would totally recommend them and Great Garden Plants.
The three bushes I ordered are all thriving and have new growth. I can’t wait to see them bloom!
What a surprise to receive a huge plant at the end of the season.
Nice and healthy. Well packed
Beautiful -stunning, actually. But the deer where I live do love the new Spring leaves.
We're sorry that the deer enjoyed your plants before you could. Young plants are especially susceptible to deer damage, so we highly recommend protecting new plants in areas with high deer traffic. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please send your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping!
This is a hard to find plant i am very happy with the healthy well packed plant
Excited to see this grow
good plants, fast ship and growing fast! will order from this website again
Very pretty little plant. It is still too early to review. It just now is showing new growth and has come out of transplant shock.
My plants are doing really well. I’am very thankful and happy Thank you again
These little guys arrived looking very healthy. I gave them a 48-hour-spa treatment...ie...a nice drink and some dappled sun for 48 hours. Then in to the ground. They are very content and showed their appreciation by sending out beautiful some green/bronze-colored leaves. I am so happy!
Arrived safely. Planted as advised. Month later in great condition. Lovely plants.
Recommend "Express" to those buying plants for shipment across country. FedEx is lax in delivery for "Ground" designated orders. Orders may sit for days in distribution warehouse jeopardizing the well-being of live materials.
lThis arrived in perfect condition and has just taken off. Looking forward to many years of enjoying it. Great Garden Plants ships with great care.
I have always had great experiences with Great Garden Plants--love the plants!!!
I’ve had smoke bush before but this isn’t growing much yet in either spots I planned. Hopefully it takes off soon. Pretty small compared to local nursery stock.
Can this bush be planted in the Fall in zone 4
Yes, Winecraft Black® Smokebush can be planted in the fall in zone 4. Just make sure you plant at least 6 weeks before the first expected frost in your area to give the plants enough time to establish their root systems before the ground freezes.
Can we plant this now (June)
Planting times can depend on your specific location and climate zone. The Winecraft Black® Smokebush is suitable for zones 4-8. In these zones, mid-June is typically an appropriate time to plant, as the risk of frost has passed and the soil is warm, which is conducive to root growth. Just ensure that you provide the Winecraft Black® Smokebush with adequate water after planting, especially during the hotter summer months, to help it establish a strong root system!
Can the smokebush be pruned and kept to smaller height/width?
Yes, the Winecraft Black® Smokebush can be pruned to maintain a smaller size. For best results, it's recommended to wait to prune it until late winter or early spring.
Does the purple smoke bush have nice fall interest or is that the green smoke bush?
Hello! The rich plum foliage deepens to near-black as summer goes on. Come fall, its rich plum and black hues transition to dazzling oranges!
Can Smokebush also grow with partial shade?
Hello there! Winecraft Black® Smokebush grows best in full sun, as long as it gets at least 6 hours of sun a day it should be happy.