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Genus Fothergilla

fah-ther-GILL-ah
These shrubs are beautiful, compact, and easy to grow, making them obvious choices for mixed borders, foundation plantings, and naturalizing. The fragrant, bottlebrush flowers are petalless, with prominent white stamens. In autumn, the foliage shades range from blood red to blazing yellow, and every shade in between. Fothergilla are native to the southeastern U.S. 
 Noteworthy characteristics: Easy to grow. Fragrant, bottlebrush flowers. Good fall color. U.S. native.
 Care: Grow in moist but well-drained, acidic soil in full sun or partial shade. Prune only to maintain a healthy framework.
 Propagation: Sow seed in a cold frame in fall or winter; take softwood cuttings in summer.
 Problems: Usually trouble-free.

Species, varieties and cultivars for genus Fothergilla

Fothergilla 'Blue Shadow' Fothergilla 'Blue Shadow'
(Dwarf Fothergilla, Dwarf Witch Alder ) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

These shrubs are beautiful, compact, and easy to grow, making them obvious choices for mixed borders, foundation plantings, and naturalizing. The fragrant, bottlebrush flowers are petalless and sweetly-scented.
Fothergilla gardenii Fothergilla gardenii
(Dwarf fothergilla) (1 user review)
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Fragrant, cylindrical inflorescences are made up of long, white filaments, and open before the leaves in spring. In autumn, the foliage shades range from blood red to blazing yellow, and every shade in between.
Fothergilla gardenii 'Jane Platt' Fothergilla gardenii 'Jane Platt'
('Jane Platt' fothergilla ) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This cultivar of a favorite fall shrub has the same great spring flowers as the rest of the species. But its brilliant fall color remains longer and later than its cousins, holding its strong orange, red, and yellow tones into late November or even early December. 'Jane Platt' also features a mounding habit rather than the upright habit common to the species. Fothergillas are often recommended for shade, but this one is tough enough to be grown between rocks in hot, full sun.
Fothergilla gardenii 'Blue Mist' Fothergilla gardenii 'Blue Mist'
('Blue Mist' fothergilla) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

This versatile shrub to 3 feet tall and widestarts the show in spring before even the leaves emerge with 1- to -2-inch long, honey-scented, white, bottlebrush flowers that bloom for several weeks. These are joined soon after by wavy-margined, leathery, blue-green leaves that, in fall, may turn many shades of yellow, orange, and red.
Fothergilla major Fothergilla major
(Large fothergilla) Be the first to rate this plant
Hardiness Zones: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Large fothergilla is a U.S. native shrub with cherry red fall foliage. (The cultivar 'Red Licorice' is a new selection with autumn color more reliable than the species.) Large fothergilla generally grows to be a large shrub or small understory tree, reaching 12 feet tall and wide. Like common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), it forms oval leaves scalloped along the edge and deeply channeled in a herringbone pattern. Unlike witch hazels, however, fothergilla's flowers appear in early spring along with new leaves. The white bottlebrush blooms announce their arrival with a rich, honeyed perfume.