This past December a dwarf witch-alder (
Fothergilla major) entered the arboretum catalogue. A 7-gallon pot was purchased from Willis Farm located in Webster Parish. It was planted in a sunny location at the bottom of a gradual slope. The clay soil was not amended. Let's see how it fares!
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Our dwarf witch-alder can be found near the Fitness Center. This grassy lawn gradually slopes down to a concrete drainage channel. Several trees are thriving in this soil: bald cypress, pond cypress, and a catalpa. A gloriously healthy Nuttall oak grows a little further up the slope. |
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The spindly, wavy twigs of the witch-alder were visibly inactive until last week. They were springy when bent, but they lacked any other sign of vitality. Things change quickly in mid-March. |
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Dwarf witch-alder twig pictured March 12, 2020 |