Cotinus coggygria Royal Purple 2L

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' (Smoke Bush)

An RHS Award of Garden Merit shrub grown for its deep, wine-purple foliage that holds its colour through summer before turning brilliant scarlet and crimson in autumn. In early to midsummer, airy plumes of tiny pink-purple flowers hover above the canopy, creating the hazy, smoke-like effect that gives this shrub its common name — a beautiful contrast against the dark leaves.

A bushy, large deciduous shrub reaching an eventual height and spread of around 4 to 5 metres, though it can be kept considerably more compact with hard pruning in early spring if needed. Grow in full sun for the richest foliage colour and best autumn display, in moist but well-drained soil — it's tolerant of chalk, clay, loam and sand. Fully hardy throughout the UK, it needs little routine care beyond an occasional shape-up, making it an easy, low-maintenance choice for a specimen or mixed border.

Each plant is hand-selected before dispatch