Plant Finder

Other Names:  Smoketree

Description:

An exciting new color accent for the garden, this shrub features rich yellow foliage across the entire season, finally turning a striking mix of amber, coral and scarlet in fall; smoky, airy flowers are similar to other varieties and quite effective

As Seen at The Morton Arboretum

These woody plants are found at The Morton Arboretum in their commonly visited spaces including the Visitor Center, Meadow Lake, and Children's Garden. They have proved to be hardy, beautiful, long-lived plants that easily fit into the home landscape.

Ornamental Features

Golden Spirit Smokebush has attractive yellow deciduous foliage on a plant with an upright spreading habit of growth. The round leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding scarlet in the fall. It features airy panicles of lemon yellow flowers with coral-pink stalks at the ends of the branches from early to late summer.

Landscape Attributes

Golden Spirit Smokebush is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Golden Spirit Smokebush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Golden Spirit Smokebush will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.