Plant Guide

Other Names:  Bottlebrush, Witch Alder

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

A versatile and trouble-free landscape shrub; features honey scented, showy white "bottle-brush" flowers in spring, and spectacular fall color; very shade tolerant and thrives in hot climates; prefers light acidic soils; great for planting under trees

Ornamental Features

Legend Of The Fall® Fothergilla features showy spikes of fragrant white flowers rising above the foliage in mid spring before the leaves. It has bluish-green deciduous foliage. The round leaves turn outstanding shades of scarlet, orange and yellow in the fall. The smooth dark brown bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Legend Of The Fall® Fothergilla is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Suckering

Legend Of The Fall® Fothergilla is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing

Legend Of The Fall® Fothergilla will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should be periodically fertilized throughout the active growing season with a specially-formulated acidic fertilizer. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils, and is subject to chlorosis (yellowing) of the foliage in alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.