Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Tolerates wide range of soils except wet, poorly-drained ones. Prefers somewhat infertile loams, but also does well in poor, rocky soils. Good drainage is essential, however. Shallow fibrous root system. If bloom is not a concern, stems may be cut back hard in early spring each year to a framework to induce growth of vigorous new shoots with slightly larger than normal leaves. Such hard annual pruning will control size and accentuate the purple foliage and excellent fall color, but most likely at the expense of profuse flowering.
‘Velvet Cloak’ is a purple-leaved version of the European species. It is a deciduous, upright, loose-spreading, multi-stemmed shrub that typically grows 10-15’ tall and as wide, however it can easily be kept more compact through annual pruning. Smoketree gets its common name not from the tiny, insignificant, yellowish flowers which appear in branching, 6-8” long, terminal panicles in spring, but from the billowy hairs (attached to elongated stalks on the spent flower clusters) which turn a smoky pink to purplish pink in summer, thus covering the tree with fluffy, hazy, smoke-like puffs. Ovate to obovate, deep purple leaves (to 3” long) retain their color throughout the growing season, and turn an attractive orange-red in fall. In the same family as and closely related to the sumacs (Rhus).
Smoketree gets its name from the billowy hairs of the spent flower panicles which turn smoky purplish-pink in summer and cover the plant with fluffy, smoke-like puffs. Matures to 10-15 feet tall, but may be pruned smaller in early spring. Leaves of this selection retain good deep purple color throughout the growing season. Use in mixed plantings, shrub borders, screens, informal hedges or other sunny areas around the home.
No serious insect or disease problems. Some susceptibility to leaf spot, rust, San Jose scale and verticillium wilt.
Single specimen, group or mass in mixed plantings, shrub borders or sunny areas around the home. Long-lasting summer "smoke" display makes this a striking accent plant. Also may be used as an informal hedge or screen (a smoke screen as it were).
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