Peter Knippel Garden Centre Plant Finder

Other Names:  Smoketree

Description:

Low maintenance and compact, reaching only 4' in height and width, ideal for small garden beds and borders; plumes of pink flowers rise above interesting deep purple foliage during the summer months; foliage turns shades of red and orange in the fall

Ornamental Features

Lilla Smokebush features airy panicles of pink flowers at the ends of the branches from early to late summer. It has attractive deep purple deciduous foliage. The round leaves are highly ornamental and turn outstanding shades of red and orange in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Lilla 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.

Lilla Smokebush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Lilla Smokebush will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to be a little leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. 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.