Cotinus
Cotinus is is a true dual purpose shrub. The foliage can be harvested in the first season of growth, or if left on the plant it will flower the next year with lacy flowers that give Cotinus its common name of Smoke Bush (or "Wig Tree" in the Netherlands!)
Traditionally you have to wait until the second year to harvest flowers since most Cotinus require a winter chill to produce flowering buds. Most but not all!
Magical Red Torch is a breeding breakthrough from Kolster. It will flower on new growth! This is a big deal if you live in a very cold winter climate where Cotinus gets frozen back to the ground each year. Even if you cut it to the ground, the new growth will emerge in the spring and in late summer you will be able to harvest bouquet sized plumes in the very same year. These flowers will bloom later than those produced on 2 year old wood, staggering the season.
Magical Red Fountain is the perfect compliment to Red Torch. Red Fountain needs a winter chill to bloom meaning it will give you loads of deep burgundy foliage in year 1, followed by blooms in year 2. The flowering stems in year two are quite tall, making them perfect for large lobby arrangements or event installation. If you prefer Cotinus for foliage, simply cut Red Fountain back to ground each year and let the new growth regrow for harvest. You can do this for many years in a row.
Test both foliage and flowers for wilting before you harvest too many. There is a point in the season when the new growth has matured enough to last after which time you can harvest for the rest of the season without worry.
Magical Green Fountain behaves the same as red fountain but has green leaves and blushed tan panicles of flowers.
Space 3-4' apart (further if being grown for large flowering stems)
Hardiness Zones 3-8 (It may not flower well in coldest zones but will survive)
Everything You Need to Know
Ordering
What are Bare Roots?
Where we Ship
We ship bare roots to the lower 48 states and Alaska via FedEx. (Sorry, Hawaii!)
When we Ship
All Bare Roots will ship in March 2026. Specific ship/delivery dates cannot be accommodated. You will receive a shipping confirmation email with tracking information as soon as your order is on its way. *Clematis will be shipped separately from other bare roots.*
Order Minimums
All woody and bare root perennial varieties (with the exception of Hydrangea and Clematis) are sold in bundles of 10. Hydrangea are sold in bundles of 9 or 16, depending on the variety, as indicated in the product description. The minimum order is 4 total bundles of any variety excluding Clematis.
Clematis is sold in bundles of 25 roots. Clematis may be purchased individually, or alongside other bare root items. It will be shipped separately, and therefore does not count towards the 4 item minimum applicable to all other bare roots. Please see our shipping rules below.
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Active Orders
Order Confirmation
You will receive a confirmation email from info@farmerbailey.com shortly after placing your order. You will receive another email in February 2026 once we have a clearer idea as to exactly when your order will be received.
Substitutions and Shortages
In the unlikely event of an unexpected shortage, we will reach out to you to find a solution; be that a substitution, refund, or a combination thereof.
Cancellations
Orders may be cancelled up until February 1, 2026. Farmer Bailey retains a 10% cancellation fee on all canceled orders and order items.
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Shipping
Shipping
Bare Roots will ship via FedEx in March 2026 at a flat rate of $25 per box. 6 bundles fill one box, excluding Clematis.
So 4-6 bundles ship for $25, 7-13 bundles ship for $50, and so forth.
*Shipping to Alaska is $75 per box.
Clematis orders ship at a flat rate of $10 regardless of order size. Clematis may be ordered along with other bare root items, and doing so will add $10 to the shipping charge. So, one box of bare roots plus any Clematis will ship for $35.
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Damaged/Missing Items
Damaged Bare Roots
You may see a bit of mold on the roots, but this is normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.
Damage in transit is unlikely, but always a possibility when shipping plant material, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or frustration if this occurs. But fear not! We will work with you to make things right.
Claims. To file a claim, fill out this form within 24 hours of receiving your order. Based on our assessment, we'll issue the necessary refund(s) right away. We are unable to accept liability for bare root non-viability if no claim was made at the time of the roots' arrival. It is possible our team will request that you plant the bare roots in question and follow up based on the outcome of the roots on or after June 1st. Farmer Bailey will not accept claims on bare roots after June 1st.
Please note: transactions completed using PayPal Express as the payment method may only be eligible for credit at www.FarmerBailey.com. Farmer Bailey Inc. reserves the right to issue discount code in place of a cash refund in these instances.
What You'll Receive
Bare root woody plants are just that! Plants with bare roots. They are dug from the field where they were grown, are washed and then stored in the perfect climate over the winter months. This process has many benefits.
Soil is heavy and messy to ship. Removing the soil makes it possible to bring in these hard to find plants from Holland where they are grown by the very folks that breed them.
Soil also can harbor insects and pathogens, so removing plants from soil helps satisfy import requirements of the USDA and ensures you are receiving healthy disease free plant material. The plants are harvested in a dormant state and held that way until they are shipped. They won't even know they have changed countries when they wake up in your garden or field in the springtime.
Our woody plants are grown in the field in Holland for 1 year before shipping to you. They are pinched a couple of times during the growing season resulting in a stocky well branched plant that will have a good structure on arrival.
These plants will establish quickly in 2025 and you may be able to start harvesting as soon as 2026 on the faster maturing crops. Height will vary, but in general they will be around 12-16" in height.
What To Do With It
All of these plants will ship to you in March at a time approprate for planting. They will be just coming out of dormancy. You may see swelling buds or a bit of new growth, but in general they will be in a dormant state and may look a little dead. Don't worry! They will wake up.
You may see a bit of mold on the roots but this is completely normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game.
If you can't plant immediately on arrival store your bare roots in the cooler. Keep them damp and wrapped in plastic as dry roots are the kiss of death for this type of product. The cold will delay their growth. Keep them from freezing. You can either pot them into 1 gallon pots or plant them directly into your prepared soil. Just make sure to plant them within a few days of arrival. They are waking up and are ready to grow, and they will decline quickly if they are not given soil, water and sunshine.
If they arrive before you can plant outside or before it is reliably above freezing outdoors, pot them, and put them back into your cooler until spring advances. They will start to grow new roots immediately. When you see new buds on the trees and shrubs outdoors it is time to bring them out.
To be honest I am being overly cautious in my recommendations, but these these plants aren't cheap. They are a long term investment that will pay for themselves many times over if you get them through this brief period of transition. Read the directions and success sure to follow.
It is a carefully orchestrated process to get plants quickly from their storage conditions to you so please do your part and be ready to plant them on arrival. There is no reason that these plants will experience any stress if you prepare for their arrival.
Growing Guides
Click here to access all of our comprehensive growing guides.
| Common Name | Smoke bush, smoketree |
| Genus | Cotinus |
| Species | coggygria |
| Family | Anacardiaceae |
| Life Cycle | deciduous shrub |
| Format | Bare Roots |
| Care | All of these plants will be just coming out of dormancy. You may see swelling buds or a bit of new growth, but in general they will be in a dormant state and may look a little dead. Don't worry! They will wake up. You may see a bit of mold on the roots but this is completely normal. Simply wash it off and plant immediately. As a precaution you can treat the roots with a fungicide or biofungicide, but this isn't necessary. Small broken branches are also of little concern. Just prune off any broken bits and the plant will recover quickly. The root system is the important part at this stage in the game. If you can't plant immediately on arrival store your bare roots in the cooler.The cold will delay their growth. Keep them from freezing. You can either pot them into 1 gallon pots or plant them directly into your prepared soil. Just make sure to plant them within a few days of arrival. They are waking up and are ready to grow, and they will decline quickly if they are not given soil, water and sunshine. This is a carefully orchestrated process to get plants quickly from their storage conditions to you so please do your part and be ready to plant them on arrival. There is no reason that these plants will experience any stress if you prepare for their arrival. |
| Netting / Staking | None |
| Hardiness | Hardiness Zones 3-8 (It may not flower well in coldest zones but will survive) |
| Spacing |
Space 4' apart (5' if being grown for large flowering stems). Mature height can vary depending on variety: Magical Purple = 5-6', Magical Red Fountain = 12-15', Magical Torch = 10-12' |
| Soil Preference | It is adaptable all but the wettest soil. Tolerates poor soil. Good drainage is preferred. |
| Light | Plant in full sun for best color. |
| Water | Tolerant of a wide range of conditions, including dry soils. |
| When to Plant | Spring, when the ground is workable. |
| Harvesting |
If grown for foliage or flower, late season harvest is recommended. In the early season the flowers and foliage are prone to wilting. Coppice the shrub yearly and harvest the stems after they are hardened off. Magical Purple and Magical Red Fountains: Harvest one year old stems for foliage, and two year old stems for flowers.**make sure to leave some stems if you are looking for flowers the next year, if you cut all stems for foliage one year you won't see flowers the next** Magical Torch: This cotinus flowers on new wood! Choose this variety if you are in the North and severe winters will kill the top growth. It is toted to bloom continuously. This plant is in the same family as poison ivy and contact with the resinous sap may cause contact dermatitis, especially to those sensitive to poison ivy. |
| Post Harvest Care | Harvest cuts into hot water (113-122F) and condition overnight in the cooler. If you do not harvest into hot water, add Quick Dip to your holding solution. |
| Diseases / Insects | Some susceptibility to rust, leaf spot, and verticillium wilt. |
| Bailey's Notes |
Cotinus is a dual purpose shrub. The foliage can be harvested in the first season of growth, or if left on the plant it will flower the next year with lacy flowers that give Cotinus its common name of Smoke Bush. Cotinus is probably more often grown for its foliage. Once established you can cut it to the ground each year, a technique also known as coppicing. In very cold winters it may die back to the ground but even in zone 3 it will resprout. Magical Red Fountain is especially good for its flower production. The best flowers will be grown in zones 5 and warmer (as the flowering buds may die in colder locations). They flower on the previous year's growth. |
| Resources |