Cotinus Smoke Tree Pruning Question

last month

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I have a Cotinus Smoke Tree planted in a huge pot that has one leggy stem, shown at the top right part of the plant in the photo. There are numerous growth nodes on this long stem, going all the way down into the canopy formed by other stems. Should I cut this just above any node, maybe a few inches above the existing canopy?

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gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

last month

Should I cut this just above any node, maybe a few inches above the existing canopy?

You can. But I'd cut back to slightly below the current canopy level as Cotinus are inclined to produce long, whippy growth (like what the stem above is doing) when pruned during the growing season. IOW, now is not a good time to do so.

Despite the common name of 'smoketree', Cotinus coggygria is not a tree but rather a sprawling shrub. And as it blooms on current year's growth, it is best to prune in late winter or early spring before any new growth starts. In fact, the shrub will easily tolerate hard pruning back to 6-10 inches to rejuvenate or restore to size if it grew too large. That is likely how what appear to be multi-trunked specimens came to be - hard pruned so the new growth looks like it's coming from multiple trunks rather than a very low framework of branches.

btw, hard pruning or pruning after new spring growth has already started could delay any flowering for a season.

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Comments (6)

westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
last month
Here are the growth nodes on the leggy stem I want to cut back.
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westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
28 days ago
@gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9) Outstanding information thank you! So I will postpone cutting this until it starts to shed leaves, likely in December or January here in zone 9b.

I bought a specimen with multiple trunks, and this is by far my favorite form of Cotinus. But I have noticed that maybe one in 30 specimens I saw at many nurseries had any significant second or third stem emerging on the main stem near the crown. Are you saying that a hard prune to just above the crown will produce multiple main stems at the cut point? I might try this some time on a younger shrub.
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
26 days ago
I LOVE this species! Mine is planted in the ground here (NJ/Zone 7a/b). Love the bronze, round leaves.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked 41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay
Original Author
25 days ago
@41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal) Can we see some close-ups of your Cotinus?
41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)
25 days ago
Not home now, but I can, it is a standard Smoke Tree, purchased at a Home Depot. They are quite robust in growth. Seem to be very heat and drought tolerant. I bought it because it looked beachy, love the round leaves, reminds me of Coccoloba (Sea Grape) of the Caribbean and South Florida.
westes Zone 9b California SF Bay thanked 41 North (Zone 7a/b, NE, coastal)