Royal Purple Smoke Tree | Deep Purple Foliage Shrub

Royal Purple Smoke Bush

5 Gallon

$74.90

1/5

Royal Purple Smoke Bush

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

Deep Purple Foliage & Smoky Pink Plumes • Fiery Scarlet Fall Color • Drought-Tolerant & Deer Resistant

$74.90

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Bay Area–Based Nursery

We specialize in plants grown and delivered in their original pots and soil.
Because of their size and weight, our plants are not suitable for long-distance shipping and are delivered locally to ensure health and quality.

While delivery is limited to our local service area, we’re happy to support garden design and plant selection remotely.

For local plant professionals, we’re always glad to connect and explore ways to support your customers.

The Royal Purple Smoke Tree is a dramatic four-season performer, celebrated for its deep, wine-purple foliage that transforms to fiery scarlet in fall. In summer, it produces masses of smoky pink, hair-like flower panicles that envelop the plant in a purple haze. This tough, drought-tolerant, and deer-resistant shrub can be pruned as a large, rounded bush or trained into a striking small multi-trunked tree.

Maintains rich, deep burgundy-purple foliage throughout spring and summer, turning brilliant shades of scarlet, orange, and purple in autumn.
Produces abundant, feathery, smoke-like pink to purple flower plumes in mid-summer that persist for weeks, creating a unique, hazy effect.
Extremely adaptable and low-maintenance; thrives in poor, rocky, or alkaline soils, is highly drought and heat tolerant once established, and is pest and deer resistant.
Highly versatile: Can be pruned hard in late winter to maintain a dense, compact shrub with larger leaves, or lightly pruned to develop its natural, tree-like form with spectacular flowers.
Provides exceptional color contrast against green foliage or light-colored walls.

Knowing how we measure the size?

When browsing our plants, you may notice size terms such as Gallon, Multi, or Stand. These describe how a plant is grown, containerized, or structured at the time of sale — not just its height. Understanding these terms will help you choose the right plant for your space and expectations.

🌱 Gallon Size (Container Size)

Gallon refers to the size of the nursery container the plant is currently growing in (e.g. 1 Gallon, 5 Gallon, 15 Gallon).

A larger gallon size generally means:
- A more established root system
- A sturdier plant
- Faster visual impact after planting
Example:
- 5 Gallon: Ideal for residential gardens, easy to handle, good balance of value and maturity
- 15 Gallon: More mature, provides quicker results in the landscape

Note: Gallon size does not guarantee a specific height, as growth varies by species.

🌳 Multi (Multi-Trunk / Multi-Branch Form)

Multi indicates the plant has multiple trunks or main stems growing from the base.

Commonly used for:
- Ornamental trees
- Feature plants
- Japanese maples, olives, crepe myrtles, etc.
Why choose Multi:
- Fuller, more sculptural appearance
- Strong visual presence even at younger ages
- Popular for design-focused landscapes

🌲 Stand (Single-Trunk / Standard Form)

Stand (short for Standard) refers to a single, dominant trunk with a raised or naturally formed canopy.

Commonly used for:
- Shade trees
- Street trees
- Orchard and structural plantings
Why choose Stand:
- Clean, classic tree form
- Easier clearance for walkways and lawns
- Preferred for long-term structure and uniformity

🌿 Choosing the Right Size

If you want instant impact → larger Gallon, Multi form
If you want long-term structure → Stand form
If you want flexibility and value → mid-size Gallon containers

If you’re unsure which size or form fits your project, our team is happy to help you select the best option based on your space, timeline, and design goals.

Features:Foliage: Rich burgundy-red rounded leaves turning fiery scarlet in fall,Flowers: Airy pink-purple panicles creating "smoke-like" effect (summer),Growth Habit: Rounded, multi-stemmed deciduous shrub
Mature Height: 8-15 ft
Mature Width: 8-15 ft
Growth Rate: Fast (1-2 ft/year)
Light Needs: Full sun (for best color)
Key Advantages:Dramatic foliage color,Drought tolerant,Deer resistant,Low maintenance,Four-season interest
Landscape Uses:Specimen shrub,Colorful hedges,Mixed borders,Xeriscape plantings,Contemporary gardens

Q: Should I prune it, and how?
A: Pruning determines its form.

For a large, leafy shrub: Cut all stems back hard (to 6-12 inches) in late winter. This promotes vigorous new growth with larger, more colorful leaves, but eliminates the “smoke” flowers, as they form on old wood.
For the smoky flowers and tree form: Only prune to shape or remove dead wood in late winter. This allows the plant to grow taller and produce the characteristic flower plumes on second-year wood.

Q: Why isn’t my plant producing the “smoke” (flowers)?
A: The most common reason is pruning at the wrong time. If you cut the plant back hard in late winter or early spring, you are removing the wood that would have flowered that summer. To ensure blooms, avoid heavy annual pruning.