Plant of the Month: Fothergilla

A favorite of ours, the lovely, Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) is a dense, mounded flowering shrub that deserves a place in every home garden. It is a year-round beauty that is on URI's Sustainable plant list and is native to North America. It grows as wide as it does tall, and doesn't require any pruning.

Blooming from April through early June, the fragrant, white bottle-brush shaped flowers put on a delicate show before the leaves emerge. The honey-scented flowers last about two weeks and later develop into green seed capsules.

Fothergilla is also called Witch Alder, and is a relative of Witch Hazel. It produces small witchhazel-like nuts. In summer the distinctly-veined, leathery leaves are a deep, dark blue green.

Come autumn Fothergilla's foliage turn brilliant, almost fluorescent, shades of red, orange and yellow in the fall. For the best multi-colored autumn display, plant it in full sun. Fall color develops from a scarlet tip and ranges from yellow, orange, and magenta. An evergreen backdrop of Rhododendrons or Arborvitae will accentuate Fothergilla's colorful fall show. During winter fothergilla's tangled branches provide nice texture to your winter garden.

When planting Fothergilla, it prefers acid, moist soil in either full sun or partial shade. It flowers best and produces best autumn colors when planted in full sun. It is highly adaptable, so will do well in part shade.

Fothergillas are named for Quaker physician John Fothergill (1733-1814), a physician and gardener in 18th Century London.

The lovely, dwarf fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii) is a dense, mounded flowering shrub that deserves a place in every home garden. Fothergilla may be small, but with year-long interest, it can have a big impact in everyone's garden.