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.

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

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

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.

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	smoke tree - any of several shrubs or shrubby trees of the genus Cotinus smoke bush Cotinus, genus Cotinus - smoke trees American smokewood, Cotinus americanus, Cotinus obovatus, chittamwood - shrubby tree of southern United States having large plumes of feathery flowers resembling puffs of smoke Cotinus coggygria, Venetian sumac, wig tree - Old World shrub having large plumes of yellowish feathery flowers resembling puffs of smoke bush, 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 flavor Dalea spinosa Dalea, genus Dalea - indigo bush bush, shrub - a low woody perennial plant usually having several major stems

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