Fothergilla gardenii
Random fun facts:
- This is one of my all time favorite shrubs. (See now, wasn’t that fact FUN? :P)
- Don’t make the mistake that many gardeners do. Treat this shrub differently than you would treat its close relative, Fothergilla major. They need different conditions to be happy!
- The Genus Fotherfilla was named for Dr. John Fothergill, 18th century Quaker physician of Stratford, Essex, England.
The Specs:
Family: Hamamelidaceae
Genus: Fothergilla
Species: gardenii
Common Name: Dwarf Fothergilla
Region of Origin/Nativity: North America
Characteristics: This is a naturalizing, colonizing, and suckering shrub. It branches out in a slightly irregular manor, but overall its very ‘moundy’. Can get to be about 3 feet tall and wide. Usually not that tall, but almost always that wide. The leaves are alternative and simple. In the summer, leaf color is blue-ish green. In the fall, they turn colors ranging from yellow to orange to deep red. Flowers are fragrant. The white is actually filaments with yellow anthers. They bloom in late April to early May before the shrub leafs out. Fruit capsules are brown, pubescent, and each hold 2 shiny black seeds.
Life Span: Deciduous Shrub
Hardiness: USDA Zones 5 to 8
Cultivation requirements: Tolerates full sun, but prefers partial shade. It likes slightly acidic soil that is well drained, but moist. Lots of organic matter is best. This is a great ‘edge of the woods’ sort of shrub. It won’t tolerate drought though.
Typical Pests, Diseases, associated problems: No serious insect or disease problems.
Propagation Method: By seed is a relatively laborious process – cold and moist stratification are required for successful germination rates. Cuttings are a better solution. Take cuttings from softwood and try to not do any transplanting for at least the first year.
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I have a new gardenii (planted in June). I live in southern NJ. We had 3 prolonged heat waves after it was planted, but I kept it watered and it has survived. But it lost a number of leaves — they just shriveled up. And a lot of the remaining leaves have black spots, sometimes taking up half the leaf, sometimes multiple and small. The newest growth doesn’t seem to have very many black spots. What is causing this? Is it a disease? We have a chipmunk problem — could they be causing it? The soil is loose and well-mulched.