Fothergilla
major
Image courtesy www.duke.edu
Family: Hamamelidaceae Sun Exposure: Full sun/partial sun
Genus: Fothergilla (foth-er-GIL-luh) Height/Width: 3’ – 12’ (check variety)
Category: Shrub (deciduous) Hardiness Zone: 5 - 9 (check variety)
The name Fothergilla commemorates Dr. John Fothergill, an English physician and gardener who funded the travels of John Bartram through the Carolinas in the 1700’s. Bartram discovered the plant during his travels and subsequently named it after his benefactor. John Bartram championed the cause of the American colonists, and grew one of the most extensive collections of American plants in his garden at Stratford-le-Bow in Essex, England.
The Fothergilla is a genus of two to three different flowering plants. There are two species native to the southeastern United States, F. major - mountain witch-alder and F. gardenia, dwarf witch-alder. Other plants in the Hamamelidaceae family are witch hazel, loropetalum, and sweetgum.
Witch-alder are very shade tolerant, but flower more profusely in the spring when planted in sunny sites. The white, bottle brush-shaped blooms appear before the foliage and exude a sweet fragrance, much like that of honey. The flowers have no petals but instead are 2 inch spikes of bright white stamens with yellow anthers.
Being native to the Southeast, witch-alder are comfortable in the naturally acidic soil, but they will thrive in well-drained, loamy soil with a ph around 6.0. They prefer the soil moist and are found naturally along stream beds; but, once established, they become drought tolerant. It is best to add 3-4 inches of mulch around the base, making sure to keep it 2-3 inches from the trunk.
The mountain witch-alder will grow from 6 – 12 feet tall, while the dwarf witch-alder stays around 3 – 5 feet. They are both relatively trouble free, with few insect or disease problems. They rarely require pruning, although they do slowly sucker and thus spread wider. Propagation for both can be done by cutting or by seed.
Fall color is another excellent feature of this
wonderful plant. The cultivar ‘Mt. Airy, a 1994 Georgia Gold Medal Plant, offers
the most brilliant fall color when given 4 – 6 hours of sun daily.
The colors range from yellow and orange to
salmon, coral, and fire engine red. In heavier shade, the hues of all the
witch-alders become more subdued.
The plant is excellent for foundation plantings, specimen plants, or in groups. They work wonderful in front of evergreen shrubs where the foliage can
show off the beautiful white flowers in the spring.
F. major ‘Mt. Airy’ www.extension.iastate.edu
Information Sources:
Photo Credits:
4/06