Forsythia
( for - SITH - ee - uh )
At-A-Glance InformationForsythia is a group of fast-growing deciduous shrubs that need full sun and moderate to regular water. Native to China and Korea, these shrubs bloom on naked, rough-barked grey-brown branches, providing a beautiful yellow show in early springtime. These plants can be trained as espaliers, used as screening plants, or employed as tall groundcover and bank cover plants to reduce erosion.. Forsythia will attract bees and butterflies to your garden, and the branches can be used in flower arrangements.
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Forsythia Species and Varietals
The genus Forsythia has around 11 species and is a member of the Olive plant family, Oleaceae. The genus is named after William Forsyth, a Scottish botanist. Forsythia grows best in zones A2, A3, 2b-11, 14-16, 18, and 19. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Forsythia Hardy Hybrids
These shrubs are known for their ease of growth and do best in zones A2, A3, 1a, 2-11, 14-16, 18 and 19. They are more tolerant of cold temperatures than other species.
These shrubs are known for their ease of growth and do best in zones A2, A3, 1a, 2-11, 14-16, 18 and 19. They are more tolerant of cold temperatures than other species.
'Meadowlark'
Gets 6-9 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Bright yellow flowers on arching branches, hardy to -35 degrees Fahrenheit. |
'New Hampshire Gold'
Grows to 5 feet tall and just as wide, with drooping yellow flowers. Hardy to -35 degrees Fahrenheit. |
'Northern Sun'
Erect growth to 8-10 feet tall and a little more narrow, Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. |
Forsythia x intermedia
This is a group of hybrids that include the following varieties.
This is a group of hybrids that include the following varieties.
Forsythia suspensa (Weeping Forsythia) Dense, upright growth to 8-10 feet tall and 6-8 feet wide, and has golden yellow flowers on vine-like branches that can root where they touch damp soil. Can also be trained to be a vine, and if branches are supported, branchlets will cascade. This is a very commonly grown species of Forsythia. |
Forsythia viridissima (Greenstem Forsythia) Grown in zones A2, A3, 2b-11, 14-16, 18, and 19. Grows to 6-10 feet tall and wide, with deep green foliage. Stems are olive green and have greenish-yellow flowers. Variety 'Bronxensis' is a slow-grower to 1 foot high and 2-3 feet wide and is used as a groundcover. This is a very commonly grown species of Forsythia. |
Caring for and pruning Forsythia shrubs
Forsythia shrubs are considered easy to grow, and do not require much maintenance once established. Plant in late fall or early springtime in full sun to partial shade in well-draining soil with a pH of between 5.0 and 8.0 (neutral to acidic). Water new plants regularly (at least 2 inches of water per week), and once they are established reduce waterings to deep waterings when there is no regular rainfall. Forsythia shrubs are relatively drought tolerant at maturity. These shrubs do not really need to be fertilized; especially in their youth when fertilizing can cause growth issues. When established, these shrubs can be fertilized in spring and summer every few weeks with a slow-release granular fertilizer applied at the base.
Because Forsythia is fast-growing, they do need some pruning to keep a neat habit. If grown at the edge of woodland areas, they are best looking when left to their own devices; they will form a loose, shrubby habit with arching branches. These wild-looking shrubs can go for years without any pruning needed. If you are creating a more formal garden and would like to feature Forsythia, the best time to prune is springtime after blooms have faded. Remove a quarter to a third of the oldest branches, making cuts at ground level. This will encourage a more compact form and produce new growth.
Because Forsythia is fast-growing, they do need some pruning to keep a neat habit. If grown at the edge of woodland areas, they are best looking when left to their own devices; they will form a loose, shrubby habit with arching branches. These wild-looking shrubs can go for years without any pruning needed. If you are creating a more formal garden and would like to feature Forsythia, the best time to prune is springtime after blooms have faded. Remove a quarter to a third of the oldest branches, making cuts at ground level. This will encourage a more compact form and produce new growth.
Propagation
Forsythia can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub follow the instructions below:
Propagating Forsythia by Cutting
Propagating Forsythia by Seed
Propagating Forsythia by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In early to mid-summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 4-10 inch portion(s) of the end of a branch that has bloomed that year and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. There should be at least one node under the soil line. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about a month has passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until two years have passed. The propagated Forsythias can be outdoors, but should be in a protected area during this growing time. After they have created a good root system, they can be planted in the garden.
Propagating Forsythia by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds. The seed pods on these plants are pretty easy to spot, they're large, brown and dangle from the branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cut them off of the plant, placing them in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them. The seeds are really small, so make sure not to lose any!
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in groups of three in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Forsythia is relatively pest and disease-free, though they do struggle with the following issues:
- Knobby Galls
- Twig Blight
Gallery
Videos
All about growing Forsythia.
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Pruning Forsythia shrubs.
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Growing Forsythia from cuttings.
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Choosing the right Forsythia shrub for your garden needs!
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How to save a poorly pruned Forsythia.
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How to propagate a Forsythia plant.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 324 - 325, Forsythia
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