Cotinus 'Candy Floss'
smokewood 'Candy Floss'
A large, bushy, upright, deciduous shrub with oval leaves which emerge bronze in the spring, maturing to a fresh green then turning shades of yellow, orange, red and purple in the autumn. From the middle of summer, hazy clouds of pink flowers appear which look like clouds of smoke from a distance, hence the common name given as 'Smoke Bush'. A very versatile shrub with lots of foliage and flower colour and interest throughout the spring, summer and autumn months.
Size
Ultimate height
2.5–4 metresTime to ultimate height
10–20 yearsUltimate spread
2.5–4 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Pink | Green | ||
| Autumn | Yellow Red Purple Orange | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Anacardiaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Cotinus are large deciduous shrubs or small trees with simple, obovate leaves often colouring well in autumn, and insignificant flowers borne in large, plumy panicles in summer becoming colourful in fruit
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or part shade; for best leaf colour grow in full sun
Propagation
Propagate by layering in late winter or early spring or root softwood cuttings in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Bedding
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Pruning group 1 or pruning group 7 to produce large foliage
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), verticillium wilt and powdery mildews in dry conditions
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.