Legend Of The Small Bottlebrush

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-2.5 Feet

Mature Spread

2-3 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 9

Don’t let the small size of Legend of the Small Bottlebrush fool you--the tiny shrub is big on seasonal interest and fragrant white blooms. This bottlebrush (Fothergilla x intermedia) is an easy-care native shrub that grows to no more than 30 inches high and nearly 36 inches wide for a natural-looking low carpet of white wispy flowers. It attracts bees but resists deer and performs especially well in conditions similar to its native woodlands and swamps of the southeastern United States.

This white bottlebrush can be planted in rows to form a border or garden bed edge or as a large group for a mass planting or groundcover effect. The result will be a rush of fragrant spring flower spikes, shaped like bottlebrushes, above greenish-blue leaves. This plant also shines all alone, especially as a container filler or in rock gardens, wildlife gardens, and other natural landscapes. It’s not too picky about sun or shade, grows in regions 5 through 9, and provides color from spring bloom through fall, even under the dappled shade of trees.

Legend Of The Small Bottlebrush Care

Plant your bottlebrush in full sun or partial shade for best flowering. It needs average soil and water. The plant can benefit from a little extra water for the first few weeks after planting and on hot summer days. If possible, add a thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the shrub (but not touching the center or branches) to help keep it cool and moist.

This native plant needs little other attention. As a native with a nice growth habit, it needs no real pruning or shaping. Its compact growth should minimize the need to trim for size. It is best to let the shrub grow naturally, and only remove dead or damaged branches. Do this in winter after the shrub has dropped its leaves. Follow the natural shape of the fothergilla and avoid pruning it into a ball.

Legend Of The Small Bottlebrush Spacing

When using Legend of the Small Bottlebrush for a border or mass planting, give the shrubs room to grow to their mature size. This means placing them about 24 to 26 inches apart, measuring from center to center.