Melinda Myers

Fothergilla

Botanical Name

Fothergilla spp.

Min Zone

4

Max Zone

8

Height

2 to 10 feet

Width

2 to 8 feet

Flowers

Spring: 1 to 2 inch long bottlebrush-like spikes, white, fragrant, before foliage emerges

Fruit

Small, dried capsule, not ornamentally important

Fall Color

Excellent, mix of yellow to orange to scarlet often on the same leaf

Light

Full sun to part shade

Soil

Moist, well-drained, slightly acidic, rich in organic matter

Planting & Care

• Easily transplanted from container stock
• Best flowers occur in full sun
• Prefers slightly acidic soil with plenty of organic matter
• Benefits from a thin layer of mulch around the root zone
• Water during dry periods
• Prune after flowering if needed
• Attractive to hummingbirds

Problems

None serious, chlorosis in high pH soils

Varieties

• Fothergilla major 'Mt. Airy' - good dark blue-green foliage, 5 to 6 feet
• F. major 'Blue Shadow' - sport of Mt. Airy, 5 to 6 feet
• F. gardenii 'Jane Platt' - dwarf fothergilla, cascading branches, 2 feet tall and wide
• F. gardenii 'Suzanne' - red-orange fall color, 2 to 3 feet tall
• F. gardenii 'Blue Mist' - outstanding blue-green foliage, 2 to 3 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide
• Fothergilla x intermedia 'KLMfifteen' Red Monarch Fothergilla - upright, 6 to 8 feet tall by 4 to 6 feet wide
• Fothergilla x intermedia 'Windy City' - 3 to 4 feet tall and wide