Fothergilla
Large Fothergilla ( Fothergilla major)
The plume shrubs ( Fothergilla ) are a genus of the family of the witch hazel family ( Hamamelidaceae ). Your home is the south-eastern North America. Due to their pretty flowers and colorful fall leaves both species of the genus are used as ornamental plants.
Description
The plume shrubs are deciduous, slow growing shrubs with brown branches and five to eight millimeters long terminal buds. The bark of older branches is light gray and smooth. Shoots and bud scales are covered with stellate hairs. The leaves are arranged opposite one another. They are not divided, obovate to elliptical and the top half is coarsely toothed. The color is in the summer light to medium green, the autumn color is crimson orange yellow. The petiole is about seven millimeters long and hairy. The stipules are dropped early. The flowers are in terminal, erect three to eight inches long spikes. The single flower has a perianth with a five-to siebenlappigen chalice. The approximately 24 stamens have white, up to 2.5 inches long and up significantly thickened stamens and yellow anthers. The ovary is zweifächrig and upper constant. The flowers are fragrant. As fruits 10 to 15 millimeters long, formed sedentary, braunborstige capsule fruit on which pen and chalice are preserved. The capsules open zweiklappig, the two seeds are about eight millimeters long and shiny light brown.
Distribution and habitat requirements
The two species of the genus are native to southeastern North America.
System
Fothergilla is a genus of the family of the witch hazel family ( Hamamelidaceae ). There she is assigned in the subfamily Hamamelidoideae the tribe Fothergilleae. The genus name Fothergilla is reminiscent of the English physician and gardener John Fothergill ( 1712-1780 ).
The genus contains two species:
- Erlenblättriger Fothergilla ( Fothergilla gardenii Murray ) with heart-shaped leaf base and a maximum of 6 inches long leaves
- Large Fothergilla ( Fothergilla major ( Sims ) Lodd. ) With wedge-shaped rounded leaf base and leaves with a length of more than 6 centimeters
Use
The plume shrubs are used for their flowers and the glorious autumn colors as ornamental shrubs, but are somewhat demanding.