Is a Smokebush Good for Foundation Planting?

Foundation Planting

• Smokebush reaches a maximum height and spread of about 15 feet, so the species form is best suited to foundation plantings where space is abundant. At installation time, make adequate room to accommodate the shrub's mature dimensions and make sure that it will not block windows or doors. Plant at least 7 1/5 feet from the foundation. In the first few years after planting, prune the trunks or stems back to 12 or 18 inches tall to encourage development of a bushy, multi-stemmed growth habit.

General Culture

• Whether smokebush is used as a single specimen component of a mixed foundation planting or massed as a foundation hedge, hard pruning may be necessary to maintain specific size requirements and curb the species' upright, spreading growth habit. Hard pruning generally results in the sacrifice of the small yellow flowers and the "smoke" created by the filliments on the panicles. Sometimes gardeners using the the plants as foundation subjects prefer the effect of the oval-shaped leaves to that of the "smoke." In such cases, hard pruning often results in the production of larger, denser leaves.

Varieties

• "Royal Purple" smokebush (Cotinus coggygria "Royal Purple"), hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, is somewhat shorter than the species, with a height of 10 to 15 feet and a spread of 15 to 20 feet. It is equally useful for foundation plantings, featuring dark purple foliage and pinkish-purple "smoke." Grown primarily for its golden-green foliage, "Ancot," sold as Golden Spirit (Cotinus Coggygria "Ancot" Golden Spirit), hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, may or may not produce flowers and "smoke." At 8 to 15 feet tall and wide, it is suitable for smaller space applications than other smokebushes.

Foundation Partners

• Pairing evergreens with smokebush in a mixed planting scheme adds interest, especially in winter when the deciduous shrub's branches are bare. One good evergreen that complements both green- and purple-leafed smokebush varieties is "Golden Mop" Japanese false cypress (Chameacyparis pisifera "Golden Mop"), hardy in USDA zones 5 to 7. It grows 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, with golden-green foliage. For vertical interest, "Sky Pencil" Japanese holly (Ilex crenata "Sky Pencil"), hardy in USDA zones 6 through 8, also pairs well with smokebush. It grows 4 to 10 feet tall, but only spreads 1 to 3 feet.