Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit'

Common Name:
Golden Smoke Bush

Description:
Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit', commonly known as the Golden Smoke Bush, is a striking deciduous shrub admired for its vibrant lime to golden-yellow foliage and airy, smoke-like flower plumes. A colourful twist on the classic smoke bush, this cultivar stands out in Melbourne gardens for its bold, season-long leaf colour, which deepens to rich amber, orange, and coral tones in autumn. From late spring to early summer, it produces delicate, feathery pinkish flower panicles that hover over the foliage like a haze, adding a soft, whimsical contrast to the bold leaves. Best planted in full sun to maximise colour intensity, ‘Golden Spirit’ prefers well-drained soil and is both drought-tolerant and low-maintenance once established. It can be used as a specimen shrub, in mixed borders, or clipped to shape for a more formal look. Pruning in late winter encourages fresh, vibrant new growth.

Form:
Shrub - Medium
Shrub - Large

Mature Size:
Height: 2 – 3 m
Width: 2 – 3 m

Aspect:
Full Sun
Part Shade

Flowering:
Flowers in Late Spring
Flowers in Summer

Flower Colour:
Pink (soft, airy panicles)

Key Attributes:
Perennial
Drought Tolerant
Low Maintenance
Ornamental Foliage
Striking Autumn Colour
Suitable for Feature Planting
Suitable for Hedging (with pruning)
Deer Resistant (where relevant)

Toxicity:
No known toxicity to humans or animals

Companion Plants:
Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’
Echinacea purpurea
Perovskia atriplicifolia
Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’

For more information and photos of this species, Warners Nursery has detailed information available to the public here