Cotinus 'Golden Lady' – A Stunning Golden Smoke Bush with Vibrant Seasonal Color
Cotinus 'Golden Lady', commonly known as Golden Smoke Bush, is an outstanding shrub that combines striking foliage with an exceptional, colorful display throughout the seasons. With its golden-yellow leaves in spring and summer, stunning autumn hues, and the signature "smoke" effect from its airy flower clusters, this deciduous shrub is a showstopper for any garden. Whether used as a specimen plant, a hedge, or in mixed borders, 'Golden Lady' adds vibrant color, structure, and texture to your landscape.
Seasonal Beauty & Growth
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Spring: As the weather warms, Cotinus 'Golden Lady' bursts into life with its fresh, bright golden-yellow leaves, which provide a radiant backdrop to any garden. The young foliage creates a soft, sunny glow that lightens up your space.
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Summer: The leaves retain their golden hue throughout summer, turning into a lush, buttery yellow as they mature. During this time, the shrub also begins to show off its beautiful, cloud-like pinkish "smoke" clusters of flowers, giving it a misty, airy appearance. These flowers can last for weeks, creating an ethereal effect in the landscape.
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Autumn: In the fall, the foliage takes on a brilliant mix of warm reds, oranges, and yellows, providing a striking contrast to the earlier golden hues. The smoky flowers become even more pronounced against the fiery autumn colors, offering a breathtaking seasonal display.
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Winter: After shedding its leaves, Cotinus 'Golden Lady' reveals its sculptural branches, which retain the wispy flower clusters, providing subtle winter interest with a delicate texture against the bare branches.
Structure & Form
Cotinus 'Golden Lady' typically grows to a height of 2.5–3 meters with a similar spread, making it an excellent choice for medium to large gardens. It has a rounded, compact form with dense branching that creates a bushy, full appearance. The airy, plume-like flowers are the defining characteristic, adding both visual interest and texture to the shrub. Its size makes it suitable for planting as a specimen, in hedges, or in mixed borders, where its form and color can create striking focal points.
Perfect for Various Landscapes
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Specimen Plant: The dramatic foliage and unique flowers make 'Golden Lady' an excellent specimen shrub, adding year-round visual interest. It can be planted as a standalone feature, where its color-changing leaves and airy flower clusters can be admired.
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Mixed Borders: This shrub blends beautifully into mixed borders, adding color and structure throughout the seasons. It pairs well with a variety of other plants, from perennials to ornamental grasses, for a dynamic garden display.
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Wildlife Gardens: While its flowers may not attract as many pollinators as others, its berries and foliage can still provide some benefits for wildlife. The plant’s dense form also offers shelter for small birds.
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Contemporary Gardens: Cotinus 'Golden Lady' is perfect for modern garden designs where clean lines and vibrant color are needed. Its unique "smoke" effect adds a touch of elegance and softness to minimalist spaces.
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Cottage Gardens: This shrub adds a cheerful, golden touch to traditional cottage gardens, where its changing color palette blends seamlessly with other plants in the landscape.
Growing Conditions & Care
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Position: 'Golden Lady' thrives in full sun, which enhances the intensity of its golden foliage. It can tolerate some light shade, but for the best color and flower production, it should be planted in a location where it receives plenty of sunlight.
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Soil: Prefers well-drained, slightly alkaline to neutral soil. While it can tolerate a range of soil types, it does best in fertile, loamy soil. Ensure that the soil is not too wet, as the plant does not like waterlogged conditions.
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Hardiness: Hardy, making it a great choice for temperate climates. It is resilient to cold winters and will bounce back in spring with fresh new growth.
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Maintenance: Cotinus 'Golden Lady' is relatively low-maintenance. Prune the shrub in late winter or early spring to remove any dead or damaged wood and to maintain a tidy shape. You can also cut it back to encourage new growth if desired, but be mindful that heavy pruning may reduce flower production for the season.
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Watering: Regular watering is important, especially during dry spells. However, this shrub prefers well-drained soil, so ensure that the roots do not sit in water. Once established, it is somewhat drought-tolerant.
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Fertilization: Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in spring to support healthy growth. Avoid over-fertilizing, as this may lead to excessive leaf growth at the expense of flowers.
Why Choose Cotinus 'Golden Lady'?
Cotinus 'Golden Lady' is a standout shrub that provides stunning seasonal changes, with vibrant golden-yellow leaves in spring and summer, and a fiery display of red and orange in the fall. Its unique, wispy "smoke" flowers give it an ethereal, soft quality that sets it apart from other shrubs in the garden. With its easy care, hardiness, and ability to thrive in various landscapes, 'Golden Lady' is an excellent choice for gardeners looking to add year-round interest and beauty to their space.
Perfect Plant Combinations
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Perennials: Pair with perennials like Echinacea, Salvia, or Rudbeckia for complementary color contrasts that echo the changing foliage.
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Ornamental Grasses: Combine with grasses like Miscanthus or Pennisetum to create movement and texture that complements the airy flower clusters.
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Other Shrubs: Plant alongside other vibrant shrubs like Spiraea or Viburnum for multi-season interest and color.
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Groundcovers: Underplant with low-growing groundcovers such as Ajuga or Heuchera to add depth and soften the base of the shrub.
Conclusion
Cotinus 'Golden Lady' is an eye-catching, low-maintenance shrub that adds dynamic color, texture, and seasonal interest to the garden. With its stunning golden foliage in spring and summer, airy flowers in late spring, and brilliant fall color, it provides a captivating display throughout the year. Its versatility in various garden designs, ease of care, and beautiful color transformations make it an excellent choice for homeowners looking to enhance their landscape with a bold yet graceful shrub. Whether used as a specimen plant, in hedges, or in mixed borders, Cotinus 'Golden Lady' will bring both beauty and structure to your garden year after year.
Does the height include the pot?
No, we measure from the top of the pot to the tip of the plant except for some of the instant planted screens, in this case it will be stated in the description
How long does delivery take?
Most orders are delivered in just a few days, Smaller items are often sent with Parcelforce on a next day service, Larger items should allow up to 10 days due to the size of the items they often have to be sent on our own transport.
Where will you leave my plants?
We will leave your order at the front of your property, Parcelforce may
leave your items in a safe place if you let us know, Pallet couriers
will require a flat hard surface to deliver to, no gravel or soil, a
driveway or parking spot would be best. Most importantly Deliveries by
pallet courier will require access for a large truck (bin lorry sized)
to get near the delivery point. Deliveries sent on our own transport may come in a small van or larger truck.
