Dwarf Witch Alder
Fothergilla gardenii
A shrub native to North America noted for its slender, spring-blooming, creamy white, honey-scented flowers giving way to dark green summer foliage that turn into spectacular autumnal shades in fall.
Collected by Dr. Alexander Garden in South Carolina and sent to England by 1765, this choice native shrub stands out in the spring and fall. It can be found in moisture-rich woodlands and boggy areas in the coastal Southeastern United States from North Carolina to Florida and Alabama. The name honors John Fothergill, a London physician who corresponded with America’s first botanist, John Bartram. Their correspondence during the mid-eighteenth century revealed much about the native flora of North America.
Creamy white, honey-scented flowers like mini bottlebrushes in spring; dark green summer foliage turns spectacular shades of yellow, orange, red, and purple in fall
In Bloom at Monticello is made possible by support from The Richard D. and Carolyn W. Jacques Foundation.