Cotinus coggygria is a compact tree belonging to the same family as poison ivy. Indeed, like poison ivy it contains urushiol, the oil that causes poison ivy skin rash. Unlike poison ivy, the urushiol in smoketrees is contained only in the sap. Smoketree or smokebush has round leaves that range in color from dark purple to bright green; some cultivars turn brilliant shades of yellow in autumn, while others morph into a deep red-orange.

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        Smoketrees take their name from the huge clusters of wispy flowers that emerge in midsummer and look like plumes of smoke. Purple cultivars like ‘Royal Purple’ are surrounded by magenta puffs, while green types such as ‘Ancot’ have a pale pink flower that looks more like clouds. The actual petals are small and yellow, but they have filamentous hairs that give the blooms their characteristic fluffy texture. You can see them in the tropical garden, the perennial roadside border bed, or the bed along the path leading to the stage.