I have the mt airy variety and I must say the flowers are not big at all. They are about 1/2 inch to an inch in size. The flowers are the best thing about the bush at this moment as the leaves are not noticable. Since you mentioned bees, I can't say that I've noticed any bee activity around the bush which is notable because my husband recently killed a newly forming hive that was about 5 feet away.

Thanks for your reply, have you had the bush long? Have you seen it's fall foliage? All the pictures I've seen have been pretty spectacular. I've never seen the bush in real life but from what I've seen on the internet it looks very nice. I've ordered one from a nursery about an hour away from me an just waiting for them to come in.

Barb

I purchased it late last summer. The fall foliage was very nice ranging from various oranges to red. Since it was my first year with the plant I can't say it was spectacular as it was still too new and was getting settled in. It has started to fill out nicely in the several months it's been here. I really like the flowers. They are fairly compact, whitish, somewhat cone shaped and have been on bush for about a month now. The leaves are very small and are just starting to come out.

Is this bush related to Witch Hazel? The leaves look extrordinarily like my Witch Hazel bush leaves. Witch Hazel turns yellow and then brown in the fall.

Barb

Fothergilla is in the family Hamamelidaceae (witch-hazel).

It certainly will not harm the plant to remove the flowers it will only aid in its establishment. This is best accomplished after leaf drop in late fall through early spring when the flower buds are clearly visible and the plant will not expend further energy developing them.

Thank you for all your replies. You've all been very helpful.

Barb
s/w Ontario

If you want fall color, but flowers that dont attract bees, buy a Disanthus cercidifolious. Without a doubt, the best fall color I have ever seen.
The flowers are insignificant and mostly attract flies.
It is also in the hamamelidaceae, so it has the Fothergilla and witch hazel leaf type.
A gorgeous plant.
E mail me off the forum and I will send you a digital photo of last years blazing Fall display.

Rx

If you want really good fall color on Fothergilla I would not buy the named varieties. Just get the species. It is my understanding that the named varieties don't have as spectacular fall color.

Disanthus is great too. Why not get both? The Disanthus has fall color that is beautiful reds and purples and the Fothergilla has the most incredible orange colors.

Disanthus doesn't have similar leaves to witch hazel, though. It has heart-shaped leaves similar to Cercis. Therefore the name cercidifolious. A gorgeous shrub.

Thanks for your continued replies everyone :o) I'll look up the Disanthus but we really have no more room on our little lot. The Fothergilla is the last one to be planted. IF I'm able, I may be able to squeeze one more item in AFTER our concrete driveway is poured but until then I can't plant as it will just get trampled when they frame up the drive. We are aiming to afford the driveway Next year :o(

Thanks,

Barb
Ontario, CANADA

This shrub Disanthus, looks GREATLY like my Eastern Redbud (Cercis Canadensis). They don't have the same genus or species name but they are so incredibly alike except for the fall colour. I may have to look into this Disanthus if I can make room and the big IF... if I can get it. Is it a west coast shrub?

Barb
Ontario, CANADA

and by the way yes it is related to witch hazel

Hi, I'm always happy to see interest in one of my favs. I've used various Fothergillas in garden designs for years. F. gardenii is the "dwarf" F. and will stay quite compact(2-4'). F. major will get much larger(reportedly6'+). F. 'Mount Airy' is a F.major cultivar that matures somewhere between gardenii & major. Yes all have GREAT fall color but also have a nice form thru winter and, yes, flowers that explain the common name "bottle brush bush" so don't cut them off till you experience them. They are a creamy white quite uniqe form. Yes, they are related to Witch Hazel(Hamamelis sp.) But that's a whole 'nuther chat. Enjoy...