Cook's Purple Smoke Tree

Cooke’s Purple is a deciduous smoke tree selected for deep purple leaves and airy, smoky flower clusters. Cornell lists this cultivar at 12–15 ft tall and wide, while Chicago Botanic Garden records it as a shrub hardy in USDA Zones 5–8. [Cornell’s cultivar notes](https://woodyplants.cals.cornell.edu/plant/print/69) and the [Chicago Botanic Garden profile](https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plant-information/plant-finder/cotinus-coggygria-cookes-purple-smoke-tree) identify the named selection directly. ## Garden Use Use it as a foliage-centered shrub where its purple canopy and summer plumes have room to show. Cornell’s cultivar note gives 12–15 ft for both height and spread; its broader species profile describes a 10–15 ft range, so actual mature size can vary with site and growing conditions. The profile lists the selection’s bloom in July and August. ## Growing Conditions Plant in full sun for the strongest foliage color and use well-drained soil. Chicago Botanic Garden lists USDA Zones 5–8; Cornell’s species profile specifies full sun and Zone 5a. ## Maintenance Allow room for the mature shrub and avoid assuming the broad species dimensions apply exactly to every plant. Use light, selective pruning to maintain its shape while retaining the flowering shoots that produce the smoky summer display.