Crow’s Nest plants we love: Fothergilla

By Daniel Barringer, Preserve Manager.

It is difficult to imagine a single plant with better fall color than this fothergilla, or witch-alder. I hesitate to say for sure which species this is, since nurseries sell Fothergilla gardenii, (dwarf fothergilla) as well as Fothergilla major (mountain witch-alder), and hybrids, Fothergilla x intermedia.

The clusters of white flowers in the spring are attractive, the summer foliage an even green, and the fall color is breathtaking and warrants including in a prominent location—ours is near our home’s porch.

While overall fall color is well past peak here, we’ve had another run of beautiful weather and November offers some spectacular light at sunrise and sunset. Below, the mist in the valley dispersing at dawn.

And, we never get rid of our old signs… we just put them out to pasture. You can find this one that used to be at our entrance on Piersol Road now gracing a farm lane.