1. Planting: Choose a location where your bush will receive full sunlight (at least 6 hours a day). It can tolerate some shade, but does best when getting full sunlight. It’s able to grow in a wide range of soils, but be sure the soil is well-draining/

Dig a hole for your bush that is at least three times as wide as the root ball and equal in depth. Remove your bush from the container and gently loosen the roots by hand to ensure they grow in a spreading manner. Place your bush in the hole and position it so that the top of the roots are even with the ground and the bush is standing upright. Once the hole is completely filled, give your bush a deep watering to remove any air pockets and settle the soil. Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch around the bush, ensuring that it doesn’t touch the trunk.

2. Watering: Ensure the soil around your bush stays moist but not wet during the first few months while establishing. Test the soil by feeling down 2 to 3 inches to determine if it’s dry and needs additional water. These bushes are fairly drought resistant once established and will only need water every 1 to 2 weeks, depending on your climate.

3. Fertilizing: Fertilizing is not recommended - the Royal Purple Smoke Bush grows well on its own.

4. Pruning: Little to no maintenance is required when growing it as a shrub. Any dead or diseased branches can be pruned in early spring before growth appears. They can be pruned to grow as a tree form, but this should be done when planting. To do this, select a main stem and prune the other branches away, keeping more growth at the top.