Cotinus coggygria Native to the rolling hills of the Mediterranean, this luring beauty is a tree that ignites curiosity. It is one of the most arresting shrubs available to gardeners today. As the name denotes, the smoketree is a tree (or shrub) with wispy filaments that resemble haze or smoke. Traditionally, the smoketree was a source for clothing dye because of the powerful chemicals found in the sap. The species was almost driven to extinction during the Civil War when it was sought out for its use in dying cloth. Even today, the leaves of the smoketree are sometimes harvested in Europe for their tannin content, with the extract as high as 30 percent. Although the sap of smoketree can sometimes cause an allergic reaction, the leaves are steam-distilled by some pharmaceutical companies and used in shampoos, toothpastes, and even as flavoring in food, wine, and tobacco industries. In Times of Uncertainty, Plant a Tree When grown in the wild, the smoketree becomes a multi-stemmed tree or shrub. Its popularity is rooted from its durability to thrive in dry climates and poor soil. There are two types of smoketree: the American smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) and the European (Cotinus coggygria). The … Continue reading Smoketree: A Mystic Mirage