Smoke Tree
Your gardens and your landscape are not going to be done without a few small trees and bushes to complete the scenery. The Smoke tree is a small looking tree that adds significant color and texture to your garden. The Smoke tree is a rounded, somewhat bush-looking tree with leaves that are any where from a green to a purple color during summer months. In the fall months, the leaves will turn a yellow to a reddish color. During both seasons you will see soft fluffy plumes that stick out of the Smoke tree giving it a softer look.

Posted Tuesday, April 11, 2006

The plumes are found to be a different color than the leaves on the bush. The plumes are often a pink, purple, a light shade of gray, or a very light shade of red, but they give the tree a soft look as they poke out from between the leaves.

This tree grows best in grow zones five through nine, where the winter months put this tree into hibernation. This tree does best in full sun areas. The soil that you should plant the Smoke tree in should be a well draining and loose soil that will keep the roots growing a deep for moisture.

The Smoke tree will grow to be just two or three feet tall during its first year in your landscape but over the years will grow to be about twelve feet tall. As this tree matures and grows taller, the branches and the fullness of the Smoke tree will spread out just a bit further than it is tall.

If you are planting this tree in the spring months, you will need to continue watering this plant until it becomes established in your soil. You don't need to continue watering after the second month as most trees should be well established by this time.

If you are going to grow this tree from seed, your best bet will be to plant the seeds directly into the soil in the fall months, cover with a little mulch or leaves, and then let the seeds be.

Do not add additional fertilizer to the soil where you are planting the Smoke tree. The additional fertilizer will actually make the tree focus on growing taller and fuller, but you will see fewer flowers on the tree during this time. Slow growth is actually better in the end for this plant to become established and produce as it is naturally meant to.