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Golden Spirit Smokebush
Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit'
Height: 8 feet
Spread: 5 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 4b
Other Names: Smoketree
Description:
An exciting new color accent for the garden, leaves emerge gold to lime green in spring, mature to rich green in summer and finally turning a striking mix of amber, coral and scarlet in fall; can be kept smaller by cutting back in spring
Ornamental Features
Golden Spirit Smokebush has attractive yellow deciduous foliage on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The round leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding scarlet in the fall. It features airy panicles of lemon yellow flowers with coral-pink stalks at the ends of the branches from early to late summer.
Landscape Attributes
Golden Spirit Smokebush is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Golden Spirit Smokebush is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Accent
- Mass Planting
- Hedges/Screening
- General Garden Use
Planting & Growing
Golden Spirit Smokebush will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
