Old Fashioned Smoke Tree

Old Fashioned is a named selection of Cotinus coggygria grown as a deciduous, upright, bushy shrub. The Royal Horticultural Society describes it at 2.5–4 m tall and wide, with purple-red emerging foliage that matures blue-green and turns pink, orange, and red in autumn. [RHS plant profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/256079/cotinus-coggygria-old-fashioned/details) ## Seasonal display Yellow-green flower plumes appear from late spring into early summer. Its changing leaves and airy flowering make it useful as a border specimen or for cutting; the RHS lists full sun or partial shade and moist, well-drained soil. ## Growing conditions Allow space for a large shrub and site it where its mature outline and autumn foliage can be appreciated. Cotinus generally performs in sun or light shade in fertile, well-drained soil; avoid persistently waterlogged ground. The RHS hardiness rating is H5 in its UK system and is not a USDA zone rating. ## Maintenance Pruning is optional. The RHS notes that established plants tolerate renovation in late winter or early spring; its Cotinus guide explains that harder pruning can encourage large leaves and a compact form. [RHS Cotinus growing guide](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/cotinus)