Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria 'Kolcot' GREEN FOUNTAIN)
Cotinus coggygria 'Kolcot' GREEN FOUNTAIN Smoketree is a compact, flowering deciduous shrub offering hazy summer smoke and stunning fall color.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN is a highly desirable cultivar of the Smoketree, prized for its dense, rounded habit and beautiful summer haze. Unlike its larger cousins, GREEN FOUNTAIN offers a more manageable size, making it perfect for smaller spaces while retaining the species’ signature ethereal smoke effect. This plant provides structure and seasonal interest rarely matched by other shrubs.
The value of this Smoketree lies not just in its feathery, smoke-like plumes that appear after flowering, but also in its foliage and dependable fall display. It transforms borders and sunny spots throughout the growing season. A commitment to full sun ensures the best performance from the Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN.
As an upright, loose-spreading deciduous shrub, it brings texture and movement to the landscape. Whether used as an accent or incorporated into borders, the long-lasting summer display ensures this Smoketree remains a focal point through the hottest months.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Anacardiaceae
- Plant Type: Deciduous shrub
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-8
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 4-6 ft
- Spread: 6-8 ft
- Bloom Time: May to July
- Bloom Description: Yellow
- Sun Exposure: Full sun
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Medium
How to Grow
Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN thrives when planted in the spring or fall, ensuring it establishes its shallow, fibrous root system before extreme temperatures hit. It performs best in average, well-drained soils, needing plenty of full sun exposure to maximize both foliage quality and smokiness. While it tolerates poor or somewhat infertile loams remarkably well, sharp drainage is critical; avoid wet, poorly-drained locations entirely.
During the growing season, maintain medium water requirements. Though drought-tolerant once established, consistent moisture supports robust growth, especially in hotter climates. Fertilization is generally unnecessary given its preference for average to poorer soils; over-fertilizing can sometimes reduce flowering.
Pruning strategies depend entirely on your goals for this Smoketree. If you desire the best, longest-lasting smoke display, prune very lightly in early spring only as needed for shape. However, if flower production isn’t the primary concern, stems can be cut back hard in early spring to establish a strong framework, which encourages vigorous new shoots with larger leaves.
Landscape Uses
The manageable stature of Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN makes it highly versatile in landscape design. It excels as a striking accent plant, leveraging its airy summer smoke to provide dramatic contrast against solid evergreens or architectural plants. Its defined, rounded shape also makes it suitable for grouping or mass planting in shrub borders, softening hard edges around foundations or sunny pathways.
For those needing a functional element, this cultivar can be employed as an informal hedge or screen, creating a soft, hazy “smoke screen” across the yard. Its eventual spread of 6 to 8 feet allows it to occupy a significant space, anchoring middle-ground plantings. Pair it with perennials or structural grasses that appreciate similar sun and drainage needs.
The fall color of this Smoketree adds a final flourish, offering attractive yellow, orange, and purplish-red tones before dormancy. Planning its placement ensures that its textural qualities are appreciated throughout its three-season interest window.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Cotinus coggygria, commonly known as smoketree, is an upright, loose-spreading, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub that is native from southern Europe to central China. It gets its common name of smoketree (or smokebush) not from the tiny, insignificant, yellowish flowers which appear in branching, terminal panicles in spring, but from the billowy hairs attached to the spent flower clusters, which turn a smokey pink to purplish pink in summer. GREEN FOUNTAIN is primarily distinguished from the species by its more compact form, dark green leaves, freely branching and freely flowering habit, large showy/feathery inflorescences and yellow-orange-red fall color. It is a patented cultivar resulting from a 1998 cross-pollination performed in Boskoop, The Netherlands.
Tolerances
- Deer
- Drought
- Clay Soil
Potential Problems
This variety generally avoids serious insect or disease issues, making maintenance relatively straightforward. However, gardeners should be aware of a slight susceptibility to fungal issues like leaf spot and rust, especially in humid conditions or if air circulation is poor. Verticillium wilt is another potential concern common to several woody shrubs, though less frequently severe in the Smoketree. Ensure sharp drainage to mitigate most moisture-related pathogens, and avoid overhead watering late in the day to keep foliage dry overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Smoketree suitable for?
Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 4 through 8. Ensure your planting location falls within this range for best results.
How large does Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN grow?
This specific cultivar is valued for its compact size, typically reaching a mature height between 4 and 6 feet tall, with a spread ranging from 6 to 8 feet wide.
What sun exposure does Smoketree need?
For optimal performance, including abundant flowering and dense habit, the Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN absolutely requires full sun exposure throughout the day.
When does this Smoketree bloom?
The shrub flowers between May and July, producing small yellow blooms before developing the signature hazy, smoke-like panicles in summer.
Conclusion
The Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN offers exceptional value as a visually interesting, low-to-medium maintenance specimen shrub known for its stunning summer smoke effect and reliable fall foliage. Its specific compact size makes it an excellent choice where larger ornamental shrubs are unsuitable. Before planting, verify your USDA hardiness zone and ensure a location that provides the full sun and sharp drainage this beautiful Smoketree demands.
Companion Planting
Selecting companions that share the sun and drainage requirements of Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN is key to a harmonious border. Plants that contrast in texture, such as fine-textured ornamental grasses like Miscanthus or finely cut foliage like Japanese Maples (in filtered afternoon sun), offer beautiful visual interplay against the large, rounded leaves of the Smoketree. Consider pairing it with other drought-tolerant, sun-loving shrubs in the Achillea or Russian Sage family for a robust, low-water perennial tapestry surrounding your shrub.
Design Ideas
Utilize the Smoketree’s rounded form to create soft architectural moments. When planted as part of an informal hedge, the airy plumes create a dynamic, moving screen that is far less rigid than traditional hedging materials. As a single specimen, place Cotinus coggygria ‘Kolcot’ GREEN FOUNTAIN where it can be viewed against a dark backdrop (like a dark fence or evergreen hedge) to make the hazy summer effect truly pop in the mid-to-late summer landscape. Its medium size also suits larger mixed containers when balanced with upright structural plants.
