Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' — 19cm / 3L19cm / 3L
Smoke Bush 'Royal Purple'

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

£20.29 £23.99 SAVE 15%
Very hardySun-lovingRHS award winner
Pot size
19cm / 3L £20.29

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Description

The smoke bush 'Royal Purple' is one of the most striking deciduous shrubs you can grow, and an exceptional foliage plant for a sunny British garden. A standout form of Cotinus coggygria, this RHS Award of Garden Merit cultivar carries rounded leaves of the deepest wine-purple that hold their colour right through summer before igniting into brilliant scarlet, red and orange in autumn. Its common name comes from the airy haze of tiny pink-purple flower plumes that hover over the canopy in summer, giving the whole plant the appearance of drifting smoke.

We rate cotinus royal purple as one of the easiest large shrubs to place. It works beautifully as a specimen, at the back of a sunny border, or woven into a mixed exotic planting where its dark tones set off bold foliage and hot-coloured flowers. The smoky summer haze and the fiery autumn finale give two distinct seasons of interest from a single plant.

How and where to grow

Grow your royal purple smoke bush in full sun, which deepens the leaf colour and brings out the best autumn tints. It is wonderfully unfussy about soil, thriving on chalk, clay, loam or sand across acid to alkaline ground, provided it is moist but well-drained. Avoid very rich soils and waterlogged spots, as lush feeding dilutes the purple and weakens the flowering.

  • Mature size around 3-5 m tall and wide; easily kept smaller by pruning
  • Fully hardy across the UK (RHS H6), needing no winter protection
  • Drought tolerant once established

Pruning is a matter of choice. Leave it largely unpruned for the fullest smoky flower display, or hard-prune in early spring to encourage dramatically larger leaves on a compact frame. Wear gloves when cutting, as the sap can irritate sensitive skin.

Whether you know it as cotinus coggygria royal purple or simply the smoke bush, this is a reliable, long-lived shrub that earns its place many times over. Every plant we send out is nursery-grown, well rooted and carefully selected, ready to establish quickly and reward you for years to come.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for Smoke Bush 'Royal Purple'

Plant me in full sun and the coldest UK winters do not worry me.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About Smoke Bush 'Royal Purple'

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' needs full sun and moist but well-drained soil. It is very hardy, standing the coldest UK winters outdoors.

Good for

Exotic Borders

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

Hardy Exotic (H6): down to around −20°C. Hardy through a very cold winter.

Fully hardy across the UK (RHS H6), tolerating temperatures down to around -20C once established, so it needs no winter protection in the open garden. Young plants benefit from a sheltered spot in their first season, and a deep autumn mulch helps protect the roots through harsh cold snaps. Read moreShow less

Fully hardy across the UK (RHS H6), tolerating temperatures down to around -20C once established, so it needs no winter protection in the open garden. Young plants benefit from a sheltered spot in their first season, and a deep autumn mulch helps protect the roots through harsh cold snaps.

Position

Full sunEast-facingSouth-facingWest-facingSheltered
Best grown in full sun, which intensifies the deep wine-purple leaf colour and the brilliant autumn tints. It copes with light dappled shade, but foliage colour and the smoky flower display are noticeably stronger in an open, sunny position with some shelter from strong winds. Read moreShow less

Best grown in full sun, which intensifies the deep wine-purple leaf colour and the brilliant autumn tints. It copes with light dappled shade, but foliage colour and the smoky flower display are noticeably stronger in an open, sunny position with some shelter from strong winds.

Soil

ChalkClayLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH
Tolerant of most soils, including chalk, clay, loam and sand, across acid to alkaline pH. It performs best in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained ground; avoid waterlogged sites. Note that overly rich soil encourages lush green-tinged growth at the expense of the strongest leaf colour and flowering. Read moreShow less

Tolerant of most soils, including chalk, clay, loam and sand, across acid to alkaline pH. It performs best in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained ground; avoid waterlogged sites. Note that overly rich soil encourages lush green-tinged growth at the expense of the strongest leaf colour and flowering.

Watering

Water regularly and deeply through the first one to two growing seasons to settle the roots, especially in dry spells. Once established it is markedly drought tolerant and rarely needs watering in the open ground, though container-grown specimens should be kept evenly moist. Read moreShow less

Water regularly and deeply through the first one to two growing seasons to settle the roots, especially in dry spells. Once established it is markedly drought tolerant and rarely needs watering in the open ground, though container-grown specimens should be kept evenly moist.

Mature size

Height3-5 m
Spread3-5 m

Reaches full size in 10-20 years

Growth habit

Bushy

Flowering

Jun-Aug · Pink

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Deciduous

Pruning

For the largest, richest purple leaves, hard prune all stems back to a low framework in early spring. This coppicing gives the best foliage but sacrifices the summer smoke-like flowers; prune only lightly if you want the flower haze instead.

Toxicity

May cause skin allergy or irritation on contact with the sap; foliage and stems can provoke a reaction in sensitive individuals, so wear gloves when pruning.

Native range

Garden origin (species native to S Europe to central China)

Family

Anacardiaceae

Also known as

Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'

Genus

Cotinus
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cotinus 'Royal Purple' hardy in the UK?

Yes, it is fully hardy throughout the UK (RHS H6) and withstands temperatures down to roughly -20C once established. It needs no winter protection in the open garden, though a mulch helps young plants through their first winter.

Where is the best place to plant a Royal Purple smoke bush?

Plant it in full sun for the richest dark-purple foliage and the best autumn colour. A reasonably sheltered position in moist but well-drained soil suits it best, and it is happy on chalk, clay, loam or sandy ground.

How big does Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple' grow?

Left unpruned it reaches around 3-5 m tall and wide over 10-20 years, forming a large rounded shrub. You can keep it much smaller and bushier by hard-pruning, also called coppicing, in early spring.

Is the smoke bush evergreen or deciduous?

It is deciduous, dropping its leaves each autumn. Before they fall the wine-purple foliage turns spectacular shades of scarlet, red and orange, giving a fiery late-season display.

How and when should I prune a smoke bush?

For larger plumes of smoky flowers, simply tidy and lightly shape after flowering. For the boldest, biggest leaves on a compact frame, hard-prune in early spring, accepting that this reduces flowering that year. Wear gloves, as the sap can irritate skin.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
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Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

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Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple'
£20.29 £23.99