ArborNote’s Tree of the Week is the American Smoketree (Cotinus obovatus). This rare tree is native to to scattered locations in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Alabama and Tennessee. It produces pink-grey flowers in summer, and its foliage turns a brilliant scarlet in autumn; considered by many to be the most intense fall color of any tree. The smokey effect derives from the clusters of hairs on the spent flower stalks. During the American Civil War, the wood of the American Smoketree was heavily harvested to process highly coveted yellow and orange dyes. This extreme over-harvesting nearly drove the tree into extinction. It is highly sought after and cultivated in botanical gardens worldwide!