142 TREES 



forms thickets in exactly the same way, and its foliage, flow- 

 ers and fruit make it most desirable for decorative planting, 

 especially for glorious autumnal effects. The stems are 

 smooth and coated with a pale bluish bloom. This is the 

 distinguishing mark, at any season, of the sumach that 

 often equals the other species in height, but does not be- 

 long in this book, for the reason that it never attains the 

 stature of a tree. 



THE SMOKE TREE 



A favorite tree in American and European gardens is 

 the smoke tree (Cotinus), a genus which has native repre- 

 sentatives in both continents. The European C. Cotinus, 

 Sarg., was brought to this country by early horticulturists 

 and in some respects it is superior to our native C. Ameri- 

 caiius, Nutt. Cultivation for centuries has given the 

 immigrant species greater vigor and hardiness, which 

 produces more exuberant growth throughout. Bring in a 

 sapling of the native tree and it looks a starveling by 

 comparison. 



The glory of the smoke tree is the utter failure of its 

 clustered flowers to set seed. Branching terminal panicles 

 of minute flowers are held high above the dark green simple 

 leaves. As they change in autumn to brilliant shades of 

 orange and scarlet, the seed clusters are held aloft. The 

 seeds are few but the panicles have expanded and show a 

 peculiar feathery development of the bracts that take 

 the place of the fruits. The clusters take on tones of 

 pink and lavender and in the aggregate they form a 

 great cloud made up of graceful, delicate plumes. At 



