Oh, I wish I had taken the camera out two weeks ago to photograph this plant.
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Even though it’s still lovely, the colour of the flowers has faded and the plant has lost the intensity it was showing a while back.
This plant – the smoke bush (Cotinus) – grows to about five metres tall and often gets to about the same width.
It occurs naturally from China to the Mediterranean region.
Five metres might be too much for some gardeners, so know you can prune it to reduce the height.
Or just remove lower branches or just let it grow into a big purple ball.
No matter what you do to it, it will be a stunner.
There are a few different varieties available but the most popular is the Cotinus “grace”.
The flowers are pale pink to purple, they are fluffy in appearance.
With this plant, the purple leaves are obvious during the spring and the summer. During autumn, the leaves turn red and orange before they drop.
This is a deciduous plant, so expect to be raking leaves for a while.
Even if you don’t like deciduous plants, they have their use – in winter, these plants allow the sun to reach into the garden.
The common name of smoke bush really refers to the flowers which give the appearance of being smoke – though you would have to be a fair way away from the plant to think that.
To grow this plant well, you need to ensure the soil is well drained.
It likes full sun, though there may be varieties that differ. Always read the plant label carefully.
During the plant’s first summer in the ground you need to water regularly.
But this can be reduced when the plant gets bigger – the smoke bush will become reasonably drought tolerant.
Cold winters aren’t much of a problem because this plant is deciduous, and when spring arrives they shoot off and grow at a rapid rate.
If you have a green thumb you might like to propagate your own. Cuttings during the summer are often quite successful.
The smoke bush is becoming very popular, though I don’t really like its common name. To me, it’s more of a tree with purple foliage, and the flowers are like sticks of fairy floss.
Maybe the “purple fairy floss tree” would be more appropriate.
Diary
Studying horticulture doesn’t necessarily mean full-time studies.
You can pick and choose subjects to suit the time you have available. Timetables for Wodonga TAFE’s 2017 classes are nearly ready.
If you would like a copy, drop us an email at AgHort@wodongatafe.edu.au
