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Mount Airy Fothergilla

Mount Airy Fothergilla

Regular price $41.95 USD
Regular price Sale price $41.95 USD
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Size

Fothergilla × intermedia 'Mount Airy'

Mount Airy Fothergilla

The Mount Airy Fothergilla is a compact, ornamental native shrub celebrated for its fragrant white bottlebrush blooms, brilliant fall color, and easy-going nature. Bred for enhanced vigor and color, this cultivar thrives in a variety of garden settings while supporting early-season pollinators.

With its dense, mounded shape and stunning multi-season interest, Mount Airy is a landscape gem perfect for small gardens, borders, and native plantings.


Mount Airy Fothergilla Overview

Attribute

Details

🌿 Botanical Name

Fothergilla × intermedia 'Mount Airy'

🏷️ Common Names

Mount Airy Fothergilla, Hybrid Fothergilla

🌳 Mature Height

3–5 feet

🌐 Mature Width

3–5 feet

📈 Growth Rate

Moderate

Lifespan

30–50+ years

🧊 USDA Zones

4–8

❄️ Chill Hours

400–800 hours

☀️ Sun Preference

Full sun to partial shade

🧱 Soil Type

Moist, well-drained acidic soil; tolerates clay

⚖️ Soil pH

Acidic (5.0–6.5)

💧 Water Needs

Moderate; prefers consistent moisture

🌸 Flower Color

White bottlebrush blooms; early to mid-spring

🍒 Fruit Type

Inconspicuous seed capsules

🐝 Pollinators

Attracts bees and beneficial insects

🌿 Growth Habit

Compact, mounded, suckering form

↔️ Spacing

3–5 ft apart for groupings or borders

🏡 Landscape Uses

Woodland gardens, native borders, pollinator beds

🧹 Maintenance Level

Low


Environmental Benefits

🌸 Provides critical early-season nectar for bees
🌿 Adds structural diversity to native and woodland gardens
🐝 Attracts pollinators while requiring no chemical sprays
🍁 Enhances habitat value with vibrant autumn foliage


Pros & Cons

Pros

⚠️ Cons

🌸 Fragrant spring blooms support early pollinators

💧 May struggle in alkaline or poorly drained soils

🍁 Brilliant red, orange, and yellow fall foliage

🌱 Slow to establish if planted too deep or dry

🧬 Hybrid vigor with improved performance and color

🐌 Can be outcompeted by aggressive neighboring plants

🏡 Ideal for small spaces and native gardens

☀️ Best fall color in full sun exposure

🐝 Deer-resistant and low-maintenance

✂️ Occasional suckering may require control


Planting & Care Guide

🛁 Water well at planting and continue weekly until established
🕳️ Plant in a hole twice as wide as the root ball, at original depth
🌾 Mulch with pine bark or shredded leaves to preserve moisture and acidity
💦 Maintain consistent watering through dry periods, especially in summer
✂️ Prune only to shape or remove dead wood after flowering
🧪 Avoid lime or high-pH fertilizers; use acidic amendments if needed


The Mount Airy Fothergilla is a show-stopping native shrub that checks all the boxes—fragrant spring blooms, stunning fall color, and dependable low-maintenance performance. A perfect fit for pollinator pathways, small gardens, or woodland edges, it’s a compact powerhouse that delivers season after season.

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