Velveteeny™ Smokebush

Choose Velveteeny™ Smokebush if you want the deep purple color of a classic smokebush in a compact, small-space shrub. The tradeoff: it is a focal accent, not a screen, and the richest color comes in full sun.

PGNE Recommendation

Recommended for

• Small-space foundation accents
• Dark-foliage color contrast
• Containers and patio pots
• Deer-prone borders

Not recommended for

• Privacy screening
• Deep shade spots
• Large-scale mass plantings
• Wet, poorly drained soil

Buy This If

• You want purple foliage in a tight footprint.
• You like a low-maintenance accent shrub.
• Deer pressure is a concern.

Skip This If

• You need height or screening.
• Your spot is mostly shade.
• The soil stays wet.

PGNE Report Card

Our Experience

At PGNE, we'd typically recommend Velveteeny™ as a color accent near entries, in mixed borders, or in a container where the foliage can be seen up close. Give it full sun for the deepest color, and enjoy that it stays small without the hard pruning a full-size smokebush needs.

Plant Facts

• Botanical Name: Cotinus coggygria 'Velveteeny'
• Common Name: Velveteeny™ Dwarf Purple Smokebush
• Mature Height: 3-4 ft
• Mature Width: 3-4 ft
• Hardiness Zones: 4a-8b
• Spacing: 3-4 ft
• Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Sun
• Moisture: Dry to average; drought tolerant once established
• Growth Habit: Compact, mounded, multi-stem
• Evergreen: No
• Native: No (species native to Europe and Asia)

Customers Usually Ask

How big does it really get?
Much smaller than a standard smokebush — about 3-4 feet tall and wide, so it fits spots a full-size Cotinus would outgrow.

Will it keep its purple color?
Yes, the dark maroon foliage holds through summer and turns reddish-orange in fall; full sun gives the richest color.

Do I need to prune it hard like other smokebush?
No, it keeps a tidy mounded form on its own and needs only light cleanup.