About
Cotinus Dummer hybrids are bushy deciduous trees or shrubs characterized by their substantial, rounded mid-green leaves that transform into vibrant hues of red, purple, and orange during the fall. In summer, the plants produce large, airy flower plumes that resemble wisps of smoke.
About the genus
Cotinus consists of sizable deciduous shrubs or small trees characterized by simple, obovate leaves that typically display vibrant autumn hues. During the summer, they produce inconspicuous flowers clustered in large, fluffy panicles, which later develop into colorful fruit.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
- Aspect
- South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
- Exposure
- Exposed, Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H5
Plant details
- Plant type
- Shrubs
- Habit
- Bushy, Spreading branched
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Height
- 2.5-4 metres
- Spread
- 2.5-4 metres
- Time to full height
- 10-20 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grows well in most well-drained fertile soil in full sun or partial shade. Leaf colour and flowering may be poor in deep shade and may struggle in very wet or very dry soil. See Cotinus for further advice
- Pruning
- Pruning group 1, but responds well to renovative pruning where older plants have become overgrown in late winter or early spring
- Propagation
- Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer
- Pest resistance
- Generally pest-free
- Disease resistance
- May be susceptible to honey fungus (rarely), verticillium wilt and powdery mildews in dry conditions