Fothergilla gardenii (Dwarf Fothergilla)

Native to the coastal plains of the southeastern United States, this deciduous shrub grows in wet savannas, bogs and other moist, acidic habitats. It forms a rounded crown and can spread by suckers. Fragrant white spring flowers appear before the leaves, their long stamens creating a bottlebrush effect despite the absence of petals. Leathery, blue-green foliage turns yellow, orange or red in autumn. Small, beaked capsules mature in fall and eject their black seeds. The shrub is widely cultivated for its flowers and seasonal foliage. Photographed in Colombia.