• Photo of Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' (Fothergilla 'Mount Airy's)

Plant Profile: Fothergilla 'Mount Airy'

Names

Dwarf Fothergilla, Mt. Airy Fothergilla

  • Photo of Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' (Fothergilla 'Mount Airy's)

Phonetic Spelling:foth-er-GIL-lah

Genus:Fothergilla

Species:

Family:Hamamelidaceae

Dwarf Fothergilla is an eye-catching deciduous shrub known for its vibrant fall foliage and delightful, fragrant blooms. It thrives in acidic soils rich in organic matter that remain consistently moist while ensuring proper drainage. Although it flourishes in full sunlight, it can also adapt to partially shaded areas.

This shrub typically reaches heights of 3 to 6 feet and has a similar width, featuring a multi-stemmed structure with a rounded, compact form. It has the ability to spread through suckers, which can be pruned if unwanted. The fragrant flowers emerge in spring before the leaves, lasting for about 10 to 14 days. In the fall, the leaves display a stunning array of colors, ranging from bright yellow to orange, red, and purple, often showcasing multiple hues on a single leaf.

Dwarf Fothergilla is versatile and can be used as a focal point, in shrub borders, as a hedge, or within a native garden setting. It is also relatively resistant to pests and diseases.

Previously classified under the family Theaceae.

Quick Identification Tips:

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Feature Summary

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Image Gallery

Tags

#showy flowers
#deciduous
#fall color
#fragrant flowers
#shade tolerant
#deciduous shrub
#fall interest
#mass planting
#hedges
#acidic soil tolerant
#fantz
#shrub borders

Similar Plants

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Feature Summary

Attributes
Eastern North America
Flowers
White flowers have a honey fragrance. They are globular at first, then elongate like bottle brushes up to 3 inches as they mature. The flowers have no petals but are white showy stamens with a yellowish anther.
White
Gold/Yellow
Leaves
The alternate, simple, 2-4 inch long leathery leaves are obovate to oblong with rounded teeth toward the apex. Color is dark green to blue-green with pale green and tomentose undersides. Showy fall colors in reds, yellows and purples.
Green
Blue
Purple/Lavender
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Oblong
Obovate
3-6 inches
Leathery
1-3 inches
Stem
Dark brown stems
Brown/Copper
Straight
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Specimen

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Attributes

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Country Or Region Of Origin

Eastern North America

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Flowers

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Flower Description

White flowers have a honey fragrance. They are globular at first, then elongate like bottle brushes up to 3 inches as they mature. The flowers have no petals but are white showy stamens with a yellowish anther.

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Flower Color

filter_vintage
Gold/Yellow
filter_vintage
White

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Leaves

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Description

The alternate, simple, 2-4 inch long leathery leaves are obovate to oblong with rounded teeth toward the apex. Color is dark green to blue-green with pale green and tomentose undersides. Showy fall colors in reds, yellows and purples.

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Color

spa
Blue
spa
Green

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Stem

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Stem Description

Dark brown stems

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Stem Form

Straight
Zig Zags

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Whole Plant Traits

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Cultural Conditions

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy' Landscape

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Fothergilla 'Mount Airy': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees