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Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' (Golden Spirit smoke bush) care

Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot' (Golden Spirit)

Also called Golden Spirit smoke bush, gold-leaf smoke bush.

RHS H6USDA 5-8Mildly toxic to petsIndoor 3-4 m tall and 3-4 m wide (10-13 ft) unpruned

Watering rhythm

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Weekly while establishing; sparingly once mature

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Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Free-draining, moderately fertile soil; tolerates chalk

Humidity

Ambient outdoor

Temp

-29 to 30°C

Pet safety

Mildly toxic to pets

Mature size

3-4 m tall and 3-4 m wide (10-13 ft) unpruned

Care at a glance

Light

Most houseplants will scorch where cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' thrives. Give it the windowsill you'd otherwise leave empty because everything else burned there. Full sun gives the most vivid gold; however the bright leaves can scorch in fierce afternoon sun, so a spot with morning sun and dappled midday cover in hot climates is ideal. Deep shade turns the foliage lime-green. A plant moved abruptly from low light to direct sun bleaches in 48 hours — always acclimatise over a week.

Watering

Aim for weekly while establishing; sparingly once mature for cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit', but treat that as a starting point rather than a rule. A south-facing summer windowsill will dry the pot twice as fast as a north-facing winter room. Lift the pot; if it feels noticeably lighter than it did wet, water it. Keep evenly moist for the first two seasons. Mature plants are drought-tolerant but the soft gold leaves wilt and brown-edge faster than the purple forms, so don't let it bake bone-dry in heat.

Soil and pot

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' grows best in free-draining, moderately fertile soil; tolerates chalk. Happy on most well-drained soils across a broad pH range including alkaline chalk. Avoid waterlogged ground, which causes root rot. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' sits happiest at around Ambient outdoor humidity and -29 to 30°C (-20 to 86°F). An outdoor shrub with no humidity needs; ordinary garden air suits it. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' sparingly. Light feeder. A spring mulch of compost keeps it going; heavy nitrogen produces soft growth more prone to scorch and dilutes the autumn tints. Skip rich feeds. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Leaf scorch — Brown, crispy leaf margins from intense midday sun or drought. Give some afternoon shade in hot regions and keep the roots cool with mulch and adequate moisture.
  • Green reversion in shade — Too little light turns the gold to plain lime-green. Site in good light to maintain the colour.
  • Verticillium wilt — Susceptible to this soil-borne fungus causing branch dieback. Remove affected wood promptly and avoid replanting smoke bush on infected ground.
  • Powdery mildew — White film on foliage in still, humid air. Improve airflow and water at the base rather than overhead.

Propagation

Take softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in summer, or layer a low stem in autumn. Being a named cultivar ('Ancot'), it will not come true from seed — propagate vegetatively to keep the gold foliage. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' is mildly toxic to pets. Cotinus coggygria is not individually listed on the ASPCA's toxic or non-toxic plant lists. As a member of the Anacardiaceae (cashew/sumac family), its sap may irritate skin and ingestion of leaves or bark can cause mild gastrointestinal upset. Treat with caution around pets and consult a vet if a quantity is eaten. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot' (Golden Spirit)?

Cotinus coggygria 'Ancot' (Golden Spirit) is most commonly called Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit', but it is also known as Golden Spirit smoke bush, gold-leaf smoke bush. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' apply identically to anything sold as Golden Spirit smoke bush.

How much light does cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' need?

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Full sun gives the most vivid gold; however the bright leaves can scorch in fierce afternoon sun, so a spot with morning sun and dappled midday cover in hot climates is ideal. Deep shade turns the foliage lime-green.

How often should I water cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit'?

Water cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' weekly while establishing; sparingly once mature. Keep evenly moist for the first two seasons. Mature plants are drought-tolerant but the soft gold leaves wilt and brown-edge faster than the purple forms, so don't let it bake bone-dry in heat. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' toxic to cats and dogs?

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' is mildly toxic to pets. Cotinus coggygria is not individually listed on the ASPCA's toxic or non-toxic plant lists. As a member of the Anacardiaceae (cashew/sumac family), its sap may irritate skin and ingestion of leaves or bark can cause mild gastrointestinal upset. Treat with caution around pets and consult a vet if a quantity is eaten.

What USDA hardiness zone does cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' grow in?

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' is rated for USDA zone 5-8 and RHS hardiness H6. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of cotinus coggygria 'golden spirit' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

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Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Cotinus coggygria 'Golden Spirit' is also commonly called Golden Spirit smoke bush or gold-leaf smoke bush.