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Common Name: Chittamwood

General Information

Cotinus obovatus is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 10.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

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

Botanical References

, ,

Range

South-eastern N. America - Tennessee to Alabama and Texas.

Habitat

Calcareous rocky woods and bluffs[].

Properties

Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	10.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Self-fertile	No
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Tolerates most soils[]. Prefers a well-drained soil in a sunny position[], doing better in a soil that is not very rich[]. Tolerates light shade[].
Plants are hardy to about -15°c[], though die-back often occurs at the tips of shoots during the winter[].
Plants are slow to establish but are then quite fast growing when young though they slow down with age[]. Plants respond well to coppicing[].
Hybridizes with C. coggygria[].
A very ornamental plant[]. The young leaves have an aromatic fragrance when bruised[].
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[]. Any pruning is best done in the spring[]. Seed production is normally poor because many of the flower clusters are sterile[].
A dioecious species - both male and female forms must be grown if fruit and seed are required.

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

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

Propagation

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame[, , ]. 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[]. Warm stratify stored seed for 2 - 3 months at 15°c, then cold stratify for 2 - 3 months[]. Germination can be very slow, often taking 12 months or more at 15°c[]. 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[].
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, mid summer in a frame[].
Trench layering in spring[].