Fothergilla (aka Witch Alder)
Fothergilla gardenii x major 'Mount Airy'

Native to the southeastern U.S.
Mature Height: 4-8 ft.
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil: Acid, moist, well-drained
Light Requirements: Sun/partial shade
Foliage: 1" - 2" long dark blue-green leaves, turning to bright yellow or orange in the fall
Flower/Fruit: 1"-2" long bottlebrush type white flowers in early spring
Hardy to Zone 4

A wonderful shrub for all seasons, fothergilla (pronounced "foth-er-GIL-ah") was named after English physician and botanist John Fothergill (1712-1780), who funded botanical expeditions throughout the southeastern United States.

'Mount Airy' is a hybrid of the dwarf fothergilla gardenii and the larger fothergilla major. The shrub sports fragrant white bottlebrush blooms in early spring, before the leaves appear. The blooms are followed by handsome dark blue-green leaves which add texture to group plantings. For many, the most spectacular show comes during the fall when the leaves turn a blazing orange (or sometimes yellow or red).

Fothergilla is easy to grow in moist, acidic soils. Flowers are more abundant and fall color is stronger with full sun but partial shade will not deter the performance of the plant. The shrub grows upright and can grow as wide as it is tall but it is rather restricted in my garden and doesn't seem to mind.

Back to Trees & Shrubs Menu