Chittamwood, American smoketree
Cotinus obovatus

Family: Anacardiaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Pink, White. Main Bloom Time: Early spring, Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Rounded.

Cotinus obovatus is a deciduous Shrub growing to 10 m (32ft) by 8 m (26ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in flower from April to May, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required). . The plant is not self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Height (m): 10

Where it is found

Calcareous rocky woods and bluffs.

South-eastern N. America - Tennessee to Alabama and Texas.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 0

Medicine

Rating: 0

Other

Rating: 3

An orange or yellow dye is obtained from the wood. This was extensvely used in America at the time of the Civil War, but is little used commercially at present. Wood - light, soft, rather coarse grained, very durable in the soil. It weighs about 40lb per cubic foot. Trees are too small and rare for commercial exploitation, but the wood is used locally for fence posts.

Dye: Plants that provide dyes.

Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.

Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Standard, Specimen. Tolerates most soils. Prefers a well-drained soil in a sunny position, doing better in a soil that is not very rich. Tolerates light shade. Plants are hardy to about -15°c, though die-back often occurs at the tips of shoots during the winter. Plants are slow to establish but are then quite fast growing when young though they slow down with age. Plants respond well to coppicing. Hybridizes with C. coggygria. A very ornamental plant. The young leaves have an aromatic fragrance when bruised. This species is in danger of extinction in the wild due to its being cut down for use in making a dye, this occurred especially during the N. American civil war [Notes on a board at Kew]. Plants flower on wood that is at least 3 years old. Any pruning is best done in the spring. Seed production is normally poor because many of the flower clusters are sterile. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required. Special Features:North American native, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It should germinate in the spring. Slightly immature or 'green' seed, harvested when it has fully developed but before it dries on the plant, gives the best results. Warm stratify stored seed for 2 - 3 months at 15°c, then cold stratify for 2 - 3 months. Germination can be very slow, often taking 12 months or more at 15°c. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed has a long viability and should store for several years. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame. Trench layering in spring.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;

Habit: Shrub

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth: Medium

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Skin contact with this plant can cause dermatitis in sensitive people. Though related to several poisonous species, this species is definitely not poisonous.

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

C. americanus. Rhus cotinoides.