Fothergilla

( foth - er - GILL - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Commonly called Witch Alder, this deciduous shrub is native to the woodlands and swamp areas of the southeastern United States and is grown mainly for fall foliage color, but also has a beautiful springtime blooms. Petal-less flowers are white and honey-scented, and can appear before or simultaneously with leaves. They will attract both bees and butterflies to your garden. 

Fothergilla Species and Varietals

The genus Fothergilla includes between 2 and 4 species, and is a member of the plant family Hamamelidaceae. The genus is named for English physician and plant collector Dr. John Fothergill, who gained notoriety for introducing American plants to Britain during the 1700s. Fothergilla grows best in zones 2b-9 and 14-17. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf Fothergilla)
Grows 2-3 feet tall and as wide (or a bit wider), with dark green leaves that turn scarlet in fall. Variety 'Blue Mist' has blue foliage that doesn't have as brilliant fall color as the species.

Fothergilla major (Fothergilla monticola)
This is an erect shrub that grows up to 9 feet tall and 6 feet wide, with leaves that turn orange, yellow, purple and red in fall. Variety 'Mount Airy' gets 3-6 feet tall and wide, with profuse blooms, dark green leaves and great autumn color (a blend of yellow, orange, and scarlet).

Caring for and pruning Fothergilla shrubs

Fothergilla shrubs grow well in acidic, well-draining soil rich in organic matter. Plant these shrubs in full sun (provide with partial shade in the warmest climates) or shade. The best time to plant Fothergilla shrubs is during the cooler months of spring or fall. These plants are considered to be easy to care for, and require little pruning; their natural habit is arching and beautiful. Simply prune out dead or damaged branches in wintertime and prune to shape if needed in springtime after flowers have faded. Clip off suckers whenever they pop up and are unwanted. Water newly planted shrubs regularly; maintain a moist soil. Established plants are relatively drought-tolerant. Fertilize in springtime with an organic fertilizer for acid-loving plants. If growing in rich, acidic soil, no fertilizer is needed.

Propagation

Fothergilla can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Fothergilla by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. Some time in late spring through the middle of summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a sucker and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots. 
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Fothergilla by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. If you are propagating a hybrid plant, it is best to propagate via cutting. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The seeds on Fothergilla plants are contained inside brownish, beaked seed capsules, and are forcibly expelled when fully ripe. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Fothergilla seeds have a hard coating that protects them, but this coating also makes it a little difficult to get them to germinate. We can help the process along by scarifying them with sandpaper (or simply rubbing them against an abrasive surface). Do this with as many seeds as you can; they will probably not all sow, and the ones that do will be of varying characteristics. The more seeds you plant, the more chances you will have to get the resulting shrub you want. After scarifying, place your seeds in lukewarm water for six hours. Viable seeds will sink to the bottom, and non-viable seeds will float to the top. You can discard any seeds that float.
  4. Fothergilla seeds are said to have a double dormancy; this refers to the fact that they have a protective hard coating that needs to be scarified and they need to be cold-stratified before being able to germinate. It is best to cold-stratify the seeds for three to six months in a fridge, stored in a plastic bag filled with moist peat moss. After they have been cooled, remove the seeds from the peat moss and set them aside. 
  5. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 9-15 months from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  6. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Continue to pot-up your Fothergilla as it grows, and once it reaches about two feet tall, it can be transplanted outdoors into its forever home in your garden. 

Problems and Pests

Fothergilla shrubs are relatively free of pests and diseases, though they can suffer from chlorosis if grown in soil that is too alkaline.
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Gallery

Fothergilla shrubs have great fall foliage color.
Use Fothergilla to add pops of color to shrubberies and borders.
Camellia hiemalis 'Shishi Gashira'

Videos

How to grow Fothergilla in your garden.
Raising Fothergilla shrubs.
All you need to know about growing these shrubs in your garden.
How to identify a Fothergilla shrub.

Resources

How to Grow Fothergilla - Witch Hazel
What I Like About Fothergilla major (And How to Propagate It)
Fothergilla - Wisconsin Horticulture
Wikipedia: Fothergilla
Fothergilla: How to Grow & Care for this Fabulous Shrub
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 325, Fothergilla
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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