Hi all, I've been driving by this tree and it has beautiful fall color. These images were taken a week ago. Sorry for the poor shot of the leaves. The leaves are actually very oval (maybe a perfect oval shape: no sword-like tip on the top, and widest in the middle of the leaf) and, in trying to find out what it is on the internet, I see it looks somewhat like a beech tree leaf but not quite (at least, in the pictures I've seen). The leave edges are smooth, although you can't tell in the close up shot of the leaf. If those pictures aren't enough I'll try to pick up a fresh leaf and take a better shot of it. If you can help me out that'd be great! This is in the greater Seattle area, Washington state. Adam
Is it some kind of a ornamental pear?? It is beautiful kinda looks like my neighbors down the road..Beautiful!!
Thanks--that would be unfortunate as I'm not a fan of their flowers, and I don't recall the flowers on this tree. The leaves are green in the summer though--not purple at all, as I recall, and I'm not sure if they are that flat and plasticky--maybe some variety of cotinus though.... it just doesn't quite look like it to me, but I don't know a whole lot. [edit] Looks like it could be the Cotinus Obovatus... any other suggestions? I may just have to wait until Spring to see.[/edit]
Smoke tree is green-leaved except when a garden form with purple or yellow leaves. The American species has much larger leaves than the common one. Its specific epithet is an allusion to their less round shape. And its inflorescences are not as conspicuous as those of Cotinus coggygria. An intermediate purple-leaved hybrid between the two, 'Grace' has been getting planted here in recent years. Specimen in question is too big and old to be that one, but should you notice this third type sometime you have now been clued in beforehand. This may be of interest. http://www.arthurleej.com/tos2.html
