ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
caption of the Fall ® genus Fothergilla . pic by : Proven Winners
Fothergillais one of those rare garden shrubs develop as much for its dramatic drop leafage as it is for its showy flowers in outflow . In autumn , its leaves become every colour of the downfall rainbow — a breathless blend of orangish , red , crimson , and yellow , with the presentation often tarry well into November .
In early spring , after a abbreviated winter snooze , its outgrowth are covered with creamy white bottlebrush - shaped flower , survey soon after by handsome blue - gullible leave . Even in winter , when the leaf is absent , witch alder continue to bewitch in the garden with its zigzagging branch .
In addition to these many ornamental attribute , witch alder is glad grow in sunlight or shadiness and requires minimal pruning to maintain its beautiful form .
“ They do not have a bad season , ” says plantsman Michael Dirr , extolling the moral excellence of fothergilla in his bookDirr ’s Trees and Shrubs . " They have assumed their rightful position in American gardens as brilliant shrubs that tender brilliant flowers and foliage , in both summer and fall . "
On this varlet : Basics|Types|Planting|Care|Varieties|Landscaping Ideas
BASICS
Zones:
Typically 5 to 9 , with some varieties hardy down to zone 4 .
Common name:
Witch alder tree ( so call because of its similarity towitch Pomaderris apetala , which belong to the same plant folk )
Plant type:
Deciduous bush
Native area:
Eastern and southeasterly U.S.
Exposure:
Full sun to part shadowiness
Mature size:
Varies ; from 2 to 3 feet tall and wide to up to 6 to 10 feet
Growth rate:
boring
Bloom time:
Early to mid - spring , with the flowers live on 2 to 3 weeks
Special attributes:
TYPES OF FOTHERGILLA
HOW TO PLANT FOTHERGILLA
When to plant:
As with most shrubs , plant during the cooler month of natural spring or flow to avoid transplant shock from extreme summer rut .
Where to plant:
Choose a sunny to partly sunny internet site with moist , well - draining soil . Best flowering and fall color typically take place when plant are expose to full sun . However , in hotter climates , they will welcome some afternoon nicety .
Soil:
Prefers slightly acidic soil enrich with plenty of organic matter .
How to plant:
Place in a muddle dug to the same profoundness and twice the width of the rootball , making sure the top of the rootball is even with or slightly above the land control surface . After backfilling , water profoundly to soundly impregnate the root and the environ stain .
Spacing:
If planting in mathematical group , space industrial plant at a distance adequate to or nifty than their width at maturity , depending on their use .
FOTHERGILLA CARE
Legend of the Fall ® fothergilla spring bloom . photograph by : Proven winner
Watering:
Water new planted genus Fothergilla regularly during its first growing time of year to maintain evenly moist soil . Once the beginning system becomes established , supplemental tearing is only needed during periods of drouth .
Mulch:
Fothergillashave a shallow root system and do good from the program of a dense layer of mulch or other organic thing to assist keep the grunge moist and protect the source from temperature extreme .
Fertilizing:
If get plants in alkaline ground , fertilize in spring with an organic plant life nutrient peculiarly formulated for acid - loving works or immix some aluminum sulphate into the soil to lower the pH level . ( Learnhow to screen the pH of your soil . )
Pruning:
One of the better reasons to growFothergillais the beauty of its intimate forking wont , so pruning should be kept to a minimum to forfend featherbed the shrub ’s innate Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe .
Cut out dead arm in winter , but wait to do any further pruning until late bound — after the flowers are go — becauseFothergillablooms on the late class ’s growth . Use bypass pruner to cut small branches back to an outward - facing bud , and use loppers for large leg .
Controlling spread:
Some witch alder have a trend to fan out by root suckering , but they are easy to keep in check by clipping off the unwanted sucker at the base .
Pests and diseases:
Free of most blighter and disease . However , plants can hurt from chlorosis ( yellow of the leaves ) when develop in alkaline soil .
FOTHERGILLA VARIETIES
exposure by : Proven victor
Legend of the Fall ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersFothergillaxintermedia
Height and spread:
4 to 5 feet tall and all-inclusive
Notable for its exceptional fall leaf color , which rivals that of other fothergillas , even when grown in part shade . showing blazingly bright hues of orange , xanthous , flushed , and gold that only intensify as autumn draw to a close .
caption of the Small ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersFothergillaxintermedia
2 to 3 feet tall & encompassing
This compact variety — nonesuch for modest garden and container plantings — delivers the same striking declination foliage colour of its larger full cousin , but grow to only about half the sizing . It also puts on an impressive display of flowers in the bounce , providing a good source of ambrosia for pollinators early in the time of year .
Photo by : Jorge Salcedo / Shutterstock.com
' Mt. Airy’Fothergillaxintermedia’Mt . Airy '
5 to 6 feet tall & wide
you may give thanks Michael Dirr for the discovery of this popular hybrid , which he find grow at Mt. Airy Arboretum in Cincinnati , Ohio . Its many assets include exceptionally large beloved - scented flowers ; consistently good fall foliage semblance in vibrant shades of yellow , orange , and reddish - purple ; and intemperately textured down - immature leaves stress by off-white undersurface . Very cold unfearing ( down to -25 ° F ) .
Photo by : Sophie Leguil / Shutterstock
' Blue Shadow’Fothergillaxintermedia’Blue Shadow '
This sport of ‘ Mt. Airy ’ shares many of the same characteristic with the exception of the leave of absence , which suppurate to a cryptic shade of powder blue air that lasts throughout the summer before transmute to a fiery mix of red , yellow , and orange in fall . For the fertile leaf colouring , grow in full sun .
Photo by : Todd Boland / Millette Photomedia
' disconsolate Mist’Fothergilla gardenii’Blue Mist '
2 to 3 understructure tall , 3 to 4 feet wide of the mark
A compact cultivar named for its mild blue - greenish leaf color during the summertime , which contrasts beautifully with strong color feeling in the summer garden . The downslope leaf color is not as reliable as that of other varieties , and is often limited to shades of yellow or topaz .
