smoke tree

smoke tree

n. Either of two deciduous shrubs or small trees, Cotinus obovatus, of the southern United States, or C. coggygria, native to Eurasia and widely cultivated elsewhere, having plumose flower clusters.

---

[From the resemblance of the flower clusters to puffs of smoke.]

smoke tree

n 1. (Plants) an anacardiaceous shrub, Cotinus coggygria, of S Europe and Asia, having clusters of yellowish feathery flowers 2. (Plants) a related tree, Cotinus americanus, of the southern US [C19: so named because of the similarity between its flower clusters and a cloud of smoke]

smoke′ tree`

n. 1. a tree, Cotinus obovatus, of the cashew family, native to the south central U.S., having egg-shaped leaves and large clusters of small white flowers. 2. a related shrub, C. coggygria, of Eurasia, having elliptical leaves and clusters of hairy, purple flowers.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	smoke tree - any of several shrubs or shrubby trees of the genus Cotinussmoke bushCotinus, genus Cotinus - smoke treesAmerican smokewood, Cotinus americanus, Cotinus obovatus, chittamwood - shrubby tree of southern United States having large plumes of feathery flowers resembling puffs of smokeCotinus coggygria, Venetian sumac, wig tree - Old World shrub having large plumes of yellowish feathery flowers resembling puffs of smokebush, shrub - a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems
	2.	smoke tree - greyish-green shrub of desert regions of southwestern United States and Mexico having sparse foliage and terminal spikes of bluish violet flowers; locally important as source of a light-colored honey of excellent flavorDalea spinosaDalea, genus Dalea - indigo bushbush, shrub - a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems