Has anyone planted a smoke tree and what experience have you had??

Has anyone planted a smoke tree and what experience have you had??

I've had one for 3yrs. It's very full but only 2 feet tall due to the deer
eating it the first year.
Sue in Mi. (zone 5)

Our native Smoketree, Cotinus obovatus, is largely carefree and provides
stupendous fall colors. Will grow in a variety of soils but will take
limestone or alkaline soils very well. Full sun for best growth and color.

Dave

"mommab" wrote in message
s.com...
Has anyone planted a smoke tree and what experience have you had??
--
mommab
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posted via www.GardenBanter.co.uk

thanks for the info. do they normally start as a short bush and then get tall shoots? do they need to be trained like the crepe myrtle?

I have 7 of them forming a green fence on the east side of my lot. I
live on the top of a limestone hill in western North Carolina with
heavy clay soil, and they thrive here. I keep them trimmed and
thinned because they like to throw very long shoots up that can reach
6 ft in a year. I lop back the shoots to approx 3 ft in the winter
and trim any branches that are not growing where I want them. They
take this kind of care very well and have rewarded my with a lovely
thick hedge.

They have a habit of turning into a very untidy large shrub if not
kept in bounds, but I have seen people work on them and turn them into
very nice medium-small (~25 ft) trees.

If you want the get the 'smoke', you have to keep some branches
untrimmed as they bloom on last year's branch tips.


On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 20:00:59 GMT, mommab
wrote:

Has anyone planted a smoke tree and what experience have you had??