Cotinus coggygria

European smoketree or smokebush is in the cashew or Anacardiaceae family and is native to a large area from southern Europe, east across central Asia and the Himalayas to northern China.

Plant breeders have developed the yellow-leafed (C. coggygria 'Golden Spirit') and the purple-leafed varieties (C. coggygria 'Royal Purple') among others from the original green-leafed smoketree plant.

• Leaves are alternate, simple, oval, 7–12 cm long, green above and pale green below.
• Flowers are small, yellowish in clusters on ends of twigs.
• Small seeds 3 mm long develop in plume-like filaments in the spring, which appear after the flowers and give a long-lasting, smoky haze appearance to branch tips. The filaments break up over the winter and are carried away by wind, dispersing the attached seeds.
• The green vegetable bug often makes its home amongst the filaments (note the last picture).