Description
Ο Chicken (Cotinus coggygria) belongs to the genus Cotinus, which contains a species! It is a deciduous shrub 2-3 m high. Its leaves are oval with a rounded base. The upper surface is dark green and the lower surface is blue-green. At a young age its leaves during the autumn period acquire red colors. Its flowers are yellow in inflorescences that adorn the plant in summer. Its flowering lasts from May to June. The fruit is a hole first green, then black and shiny. It is found in southeastern Europe and Asia. In Greece it grows in the Mediterranean vegetation zone.
Kotinos in antiquity was known as the wild olive wreath with which the Olympians were crowned in antiquity.
Care
Kotinos grows in a variety of soils, from light sandy to heavy clayey, but they must be well drained, because it does not tolerate wet soils and those that hold water. Cold resistant, suitable for draining soils and sunny areas. Its resistance to drought is great, as well as to air pollution in cities.
Uses
Kotinos has great ornamental value due to its red color but its special flowering. Ideal choice of pots and planters, but also for the creation of fences and rock garden composition.
Enemies and diseases
Kotinos does not face serious problems. It can be affected by fungal diseases such as anthracnose and verticillium wilt.
