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Key characteristics

Family: Hamamelidaceae
Height: 6 to 10 feet
Width: 5 to 8 feet
Flower color: Fragrant white bottlebrush like flowers composed of numerous showy stamens
Foliage color: Blue green to dark green oval leaves often turning vivid shades in fall
Bloom time: Mid spring often, April to May
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Average well drained acidic soil
Maintenance: Low; prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape and remove older stems if needed
Growing zone: USDA zones 5 to 8
Wildlife: Bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects

Shrubs

Fothergilla x intermedia 'Mount Airy'

Mount Airy Fothergilla

Fothergilla x intermedia 'Mount Airy' produces fragrant white bottlebrush flowers in early to mid spring, each bloom composed of soft filaments that create airy clusters along the branches. The blossoms appear just before or as the foliage emerges. Rounded blue-green leaves unfold soon after, forming a full canopy that develops rich shades of orange, red, and yellow in autumn.

This hybrid selection traces its heritage to crosses between Fothergilla gardenii and Fothergilla major, both native to the southeastern United States.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Average well drained acidic soil

Bloom time

Mid spring often, April to May

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Native Gardens
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Holly · Daisy bush · Tulips · Pineapple lily · Salvias · Rose campion

Design tip

‘Mount Airy’ has enough size to serve as a substantial background shrub while still offering finely detailed seasonal interest. Position it where the autumn foliage can be viewed against evergreens, which provide a dark backdrop for its unusually broad mixture of yellow, orange, and purple tones.