Smoke-tree Cotinus coggygria
Family: Anacardiaceae (Cashew)
Branching: Alternate
This ornamental shrub is from Eurasia and derives its name from its
wispy fruit clusters. It is quite distinctive when in fruit,
though the introduced Tamarisk can look similar (I don't have pictures
yet of it). The twigs and buds tend to be purplish, reminiscent
of Mountain-holly, but Smoke-tree has
multiple vein scars. It's leaves are elliptical, smooth-edged,
and somewhat leathery, like other plants in the Cashew family.
There is a species in this genus that is native to North America,
but it grows only in a few scattered locations in the "mid-South".
Winter twig of Smoke-tree.
Another view of the winter twig
Lateral bud and leaf scar of Smoke-tree
Another lateral bud
Sometimes the tips of the branches die back, similar to New-Jersey Tea
Branchlets growing out of a central hub
A fruit cluster
A mature Smoke-tree
Mature bark
Another view of the bark of Smoke-tree
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© 2008 Josh Sayers
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