Practical
Plants

Cotinus obovatus

Chittamwood

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Cotinus genus in the family Anacardiaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Cotinus
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Growth rate
moderate
Height
10 m
Spread
8 m
Fertility
self sterile
Flower type
dioecious

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Skin contact with this plant can cause dermatitis in sensitive people[9]. Though related to several poisonous species, this species is definitely not poisonous[18].

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

An orange or yellow dye is obtained from the wood[16][17][20][6]. This was extensvely used in America at the time of the Civil War, but is little used commercially at present[14]. Wood - light, soft, rather coarse grained, very durable in the soil[20][4][11]. It weighs about 40lb per cubic foot[12]. Trees are too small and rare for commercial exploitation, but the wood is used locally for fence posts[20][4][11].

Product or use
Dye
Product or use
Wood

Environment

Range
South-eastern N. America - Tennessee to Alabama and Texas.
Habitat
Calcareous rocky woods and bluffs[15].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[19][3][9]. It should germinate in the spring. Slightly immature or 'green' seed, harvested when it has fully developed but before it dries on the plant, gives the best results[3]. Warm stratify stored seed for 2 - 3 months at 15°c, then cold stratify for 2 - 3 months[5]. Germination can be very slow, often taking 12 months or more at 15°c[5]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. The seed has a long viability and should store for several years[3]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, July/August in a frame[3]. Trench layering in spring[9].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Tolerates most soils[10]. Prefers a well-drained soil in a sunny position[9], doing better in a soil that is not very rich[2]. Tolerates light shade[8]. Plants are hardy to about -15°c[10], though die-back often occurs at the tips of shoots during the winter[10]. Plants are slow to establish but are then quite fast growing when young though they slow down with age[10]. Plants respond well to coppicing[11]. Hybridizes with C. coggygria[7]. A very ornamental plant[1]. The young leaves have an aromatic fragrance when bruised[13]. This species is in danger of extinction in the wild due to its being cut down for use in making a dye, this occurred especially during the N. American civil war[Notes on a board at Kew]. Plants flower on wood that is at least 3 years old[10]. Any pruning is best done in the spring[10]. Seed production is normally poor because many of the flower clusters are sterile[11]. Dioecious. Male and female plants must be grown if seed is required.

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

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  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

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  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  4. Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas. University of Texas Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0-292-78958-3

    ↩1↩2

  5. Bird. R. (Editor) Growing from Seed. Volume 4. Thompson and Morgan. 1990-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  6. Buchanan. R. A Weavers Garden.

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  7. Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2

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  8. Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-86318-386-7

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  9. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  10. Davis. B. Climbers and Wall Shrubs. Viking. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-670-82929-3

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6

  11. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  12. Britton. N. L. Brown. A. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada Dover Publications. New York. 1970-00-00 ISBN 0-486-22642-5

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  13. Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8

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  14. Diggs, Jnr. G.M.; Lipscomb. B. L. & O'Kennon. R. J Illustrated Flora of North Central Texas Botanical Research Institute, Texas. 1999-00-00 http://artemis.austincollege.edu/acad/bio/gdiggs/NCTXpdf.htm

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  15. Fernald. M. L. Gray's Manual of Botany. American Book Co. 1950-00-00

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  16. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

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  17. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

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  18. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

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  19. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

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  20. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

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