Fothergilla, a native North American shrub, thrives in shady gardens and offers all-season interest for little effort.
witch-alder) is a deciduous shrub that deserves a place in every shade garden.
Even better, this low-maintenance shrub serves as a wildlife nectar source and nesting spot whilealso being deer-resistant.
Credit: JANET MESIC-MACKIE
Where to Plant Fothergilla
Fothergilla is a slow-growing, mounded shrub that works beautifully as afoundation plant.
Fothergilla looks particularly at home in woodland garden prefs where its informal structure can be appreciated.
Plant it alongsideviburnum, spicebush, and elderberry to create a robust wildlife habitat in your landscape.
Credit: JANET MESIC-MACKIE
The fothergillas round, dense shape also blends well with a host of different garden plants and container combinations.
Choose an area with full sun or partial shade and well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter.
Water thoroughly and keep the soil evenly moist through spring into summer.
Credit: Rob Cardillo
Blanket the area around the shrubs with a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch to suppress weeds and prevent moisture loss.
If you are planting more than one fothergilla, space them according to their projected mature size.
This will differ greatly depending on the plant throw in.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
Dwarf fothergillas typically get only 3 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 6 feet wide.
Large fothergillas can grow 4 to 12 feet tall and 5 to 10 feet wide.
Fothergilla Care Tips
Fothergillas are beloved for their four-season interest and no-nonsense care requirements.
Credit: Jerry Pavia
Light
Fothergilla grows best in partial shade or filtered sun.
Alkaline soils may cause pale or yellow foliage.
Water your fothergilla regularly during the first growing season after planting.
Credit: Mary Carolyn Pindar
Once it is established, the shrub’s root system can withstand prolonged dry periods.
Supplemental watering should only be required in extended periods of extreme heat and drought.
In the winter, when temperatures dip below 40 , the shrub will drop its foliage and go dormant.
Credit:BHG / Evgeniya Vlasova
Fothergilla also tolerates high humidity, so it works well in coastal gardens and near water features.
Fertilizer
Fothergilla benefits from an utility of balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer in midspring.
A good bet is to choose one formulated for acid-loving plants like rhododendrons, hydrangeas, or blueberries.
Credit: Terra Nova Nurseries
Remove any dead, damaged, diseased, or crossed branches but otherwise, dont overdo it.
It’s best to remove no more than one-third of each branch using sharp, sterile shears or loppers.
The goal is to improve air circulation and allow for better sun absorption.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Do not shear this shrub (i.e., remove all the soft, new growth).
Fothergilla has a pleasing informal branching habit and doesn’t tolerate tight pruning well.
Your fothergilla will also form suckers that shoot out from the base of the plant to form new colonies.
Credit: Illustration by Mavis Augustine Torke
These suckers can be removed at any time to control the shape of the plant and prevent unwanted growth.
double-check it is also deep enough for the shrubs root flare to rest just above the soil line.
Hold it securely while you backfill the rest of the soil and tamp it down.
Water your potted shrub thoroughly and keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season.
Allow the soil to dry out only slightly between waterings.
Each spring, fertilize with a slow-release, granular fertilizer designed for acid-loving plants.
If it’s crucial that you transplant your fothergilla into a larger container, wait until early spring.
Before you repot, saturate the plant completely.
In alkaline soils, fothergilla may become chlorotic and develop pale, yellow, or even scorched leaves.
How to Propagate Fothergilla
Fothergilla is most commonly propagated via softwood cuttings in the late spring.
Keep the soil evenly moist and allow the cuttings to take root.
It may take several months.
It grows to 6 feet tall and 5 feet wide in zones 5-8.
Or, seek out rhododendrons with yellow and orange blooms that mimic the fall foliage of the fothergilla.
They are low-maintenance, hardy in zones 3-9, and come in a rainbow of colors.
Whats more, the blooming season for daffodils coincides with the fothergilla blooming season.
So, come April, youll get a flurry of spring blossoms.
In it, youll find fothergilla tucked amongflowering crabapple trees,dwarf dogwoods, andbirds nest spruce.
Prettyperiwinkleprovides ground cover and weed suppression.
Best of all, this garden requires very little pruning or other care to thrive.
Fothergilla is a slow-growing shrub.
Even dwarf varieties may take as long as 10 to 20 years to reach mature height.
This most likely won’t be an issue.
Like deer, rabbits tend to leave this plant alone.
The fragrant flowers of fothergilla will attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden.
