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Smoketree or Smoke bush ( Cotinus ) is a genus of two species of flowering plants in the Anacardiaceae , closely related to the sumacs ( Rhus ) . They are large shrubs or small trees , native to the warm temperate Northern Hemisphere . The leaves are deciduous , alternate , simple oval shape , 3 13 cm long . The flowers are clustered in a large open terminal panicles 15 30 cm long with a fluffy grayish buff appearance resembling a cloud of smoke over the plant , from which the name derives . The fruit is a small drupe with a single seed . Often classified in Rhus in the past , they are distinguished by the leaves being simple ( not pinnate ) and the smoke like fluffy flower heads . The American Smoketree ( Cotinus obovatus , syn . Rhus cotinoides ) is native to the southeastern United States , from Tennessee south to Alabama and west to eastern Texas . It is a larger plant , frequently becoming a small tree up to 10 12 m tall and with a trunk up to 25 cm diameter . The leaves are also larger , 6 13 cm long ; it also has varied but very bright fall color , usually brighter than the Eurasian species . The flower heads are usually sparser than in C . coggygria . ? |
