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October 2026: American Smoketree
by Andy Mead
October Tree of the Month is the state champion American smoketree (Cotinus obovatus). It once was the national champion for its species but that title is now held by a smoketree in Connecticut. It is in Section 29 of the Lexington Cemetery. This is one of the best times of the year to see it because the leaves, pinkish-bronze when young then becoming a dark blue-green, put on a show of yellow, red, orange and purple that last for weeks.
“Enough can’t be said about the fall color,” proclaims a U.S. Forestry Service fact sheet. “It must be seen to be believed.”
L-R: 1) American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) (c) tome – some rights reserved (CC BY-NC); 2) American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) (c) libbyfeil – some rights reserved (CC BY-NC): 3) American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) © Porter D. Crane - some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
But it’s not pretty leaves that give this tree its common name. Spring brings fuzzy panicles of flowers and airy smoky pink to pink-purple hairs on the spent flower clusters that give the tree a hazy, smoke-like puffy appearance. The "smoke" display makes it a striking accent plant.
The American smoketree is a deciduous North American native. There also is a European smoketree (Cotinus coggygria) whose habit is more like a large shrub compared to the tree form of the American species - the smoketree most often sold at nurseries and garden centers is a cultivar of the European species. They are both in the cashew family (Anacardiaceae) which includes other well-known plants such as cashew, mango, sumac and poison ivy. Smoketree grows naturally on hillsides, limestone outcrops and rocky woods in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas. It may have historically grown in Kentucky’s natural areas but if that was the case, it has since been extirpated, meaning that it no longer occurs naturally in this area. It also can tolerate clay soil. Other common names are Texas smoke tree, wild smoke tree, smokebush and chittamwood. It usually grows as a shrub that is 15 to 20 feet tall but can slowly develop into a tree that reaches 20 to 30 feet. The Lexington Cemetery tree is an overachiever, topping out at 40 feet with a crown that is a little wider.
The smoketree has resinous sap with a strong odor and heartwood that is a deep orange or yellow. The resinous sap and associated chemical compounds likely contribute to their relatively low susceptibility to insects and diseases. The sap contains oils similar to poison ivy and those found in mango skins – while sap exposure from smoketree can cause dermatitis and irritation, it is not nearly as potent. Once established, it is also fairly drought tolerant. Given adequate space, full sun, well-drained soil and proper installation and aftercare, American Smoketree is a relatively low-maintenance, moderate-sized tree. Its fall color is most vibrant when planted in full sun.
These sites will tell you more:
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