Dwarf Fothergilla
Fothergilla gardenii
Honey-scented white bottlebrush flowers in early spring, then orange, yellow, and red fall foliage. At 2 to 3 feet, it fits borders and containers.
Typically 1 quart–3 gal · $17–$85 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Fragrant white spring flowers, stunning multi-color fall foliage, and a compact size that works in almost any garden. this is one of the most versatile native shrubs we grow.
Dwarf fothergilla is a spring garden anchor that punches well above its compact size. In early spring, before the leaves emerge, it covers itself in creamy white bottlebrush flowers that smell like honey, a rich, sweet fragrance that carries across the garden on warm April mornings. Native bees come in force, drawn as much by the scent as the nectar, before almost any other shrubs are flowering. Come fall, the foliage transforms into a riot of orange, yellow, and red, sometimes all three colors on the same plant at once. It's one of the most reliable small-scale fall color plants in the native palette. At 2–3 feet, it fits into a border front, a container, or a small space where a larger fothergilla would be too much.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown dwarf fothergilla propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant dwarf fothergilla instead of Burning bush (Euonymus alatus). Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–3 ft · 24–48 in wide
- Bloom time
- Early spring
- Bloom color
- White
- USDA zones
- 4–9
- Family
- Hamamelidaceae
- Native range
- Coastal Plain from Virginia to Georgia
Care notes for dwarf fothergilla.
Full sun to part shade in acidic, moist, well-drained soil. Avoid alkaline soils. amend with sulfur or plant near acid-loving companions like blueberries. Needs no pruning beyond removing dead branches. Spreads slowly by root suckers to form clumps. No serious pests or diseases.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside dwarf fothergilla.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.