Coastal Witch-alder (Fothergilla gardenii)

Mar 1

Known as Coastal Witch-alder or Dwarf Fothergilla (Fothergilla gardenii), this plant has three seasons of interest: white, bottle brush-like flowers in spring; leathery blue-green leaves in summer; and a kaleidoscope of gold/yellow, orange, and red/burgundy foliage in fall.

Only the male flowers are showy. One to 2-in. creamy white flowers appear April through May with a sweet honey fragrance. Coastal Witch-alder has no petals; the showy part of its flowers are its aromatic stamens that resemble bottle brushes and emerge before the leaves in the spring.

Coastal Witch-alder is a slow-growing, low-maintenance deciduous shrub in the witch-hazel family that is native to the coastal plains of the southern United States, where it is hardy in zones 5a to 8b. In the wild, it is apt to grow in wet savannas, pocosins (a type of nutrient-deficient wetland), baygalls (a specific type of wetland or swamp habitat), and bogs.

It grows best in moist, slightly acidic, organically rich, well-drained soils in full sun to partial or dappled shade. While the flower display and fall color are often best in full sun, the shrub overall does better with some afternoon shade. It will tolerate wet soils and compaction yet it is also drought tolerant.

The shrub begins with a rounded habit and matures to a height of 3 to 6 feet and a width of 2 to 6 feet, thus its alternate name of Dwarf Fothergilla. Over time, if suckers are not removed, it will colonize other areas of the landscape. Seeds are difficult to germinate, so propagate this shrub by stem cuttings. Plants should be pruned after flowering, if pruning is needed. Bees and pollinators are attracted to this honey-scented shrub, making it an ideal addition to pollinator, native, or children’s gardens. It also works well planted along a foundation, as a specimen plant in a woodland or cottage garden,

or grouped in mass to create an informal, low hedge. Coastal Witch-alder has no serious pests and is resistant to deer.

By Kathryn Copley, Extension Master Gardener SM Volunteer, Brunswick County, NC
For more information on gardening in Brunswick County, please call the Brunswick County Cooperative Extension Office, 910.253.2610.

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SOURCES:

Fothergilla gardenii (Coastal Witch-alder, Dwarf Fothergilla) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Dwarf fothergilla | The Morton Arboretum