Besides early blooming spring bulbs, Forsythia are one of the earliest indications that spring is approaching! With its golden, yellow flowers lining it's stems, you can't miss it!
Sun Requirements:
Forsythia do their best in full sun but will still tolerate partial sun.
Water Requirement
This plant likes average moisture but can be drought tolerance once established.
It is best to water heavier and less frequently than less water and more often. For the first full season, you will need to keep up with watering. In the second and third year, you may need to provide supplemented water if there is a drought but they shouldn't need much more help.
Blooms
Forsythia bloom in early spring with a vibrant yellow, gold flower. You see many varieties blooming right now (early-mid April) but after the plant blooms, it will product medium green foliage. Depending on the variety, some have a prominent vein.
Other Facts
All part of the Oleaceae family
Originate from East Asia
Deer resistant
Salt Tolerant
Walnut Toxicity Resistant
Tolerant of many soil types including heavy clay soil
Great as a border plant
Prune the shrub after flowering to keep its form.
For more Landscape information, check out the following podcasts and blogs
Instagram Q&A
I always ask followers if they had any specific questions, opinions or hot-takes I can address in this podcast and blog. Here are what people told me and and my answers for this topic:
"When do these bloom in the Midwest? Do they bloom different elsewhere?"
Most varieties will bloom early to mid spring. Based on weather, they could bloom slightly earlier or later but you can always count on them in early spring
Varieties:
Forsythia ovata- Korean Forsythia
Forsythia x intermedia- this is a hybrid between weeping forsythia (Forsythia supensa) and greenstem forsythia (Forsythia viridissima)
Many of the breeding programs are found in Canada. Some other varieties you may see are Sunrise, Lynnwood Gold, Show Off, Citrus Swizzle, Gold Cluster, Bronxensis, Fiesta, Magical Gold, Tetragold, etc.
New Hampshire Gold
Forsythia x intermedia
4-6' tall and wide
Hardiness zone 5-8
Northern Gold Forsythia
Mix of Forsythia x intermedia and Forsythia ovata
6-8' tall, 5-7' wide
Hardiness Zone 3-8
Gold Tide Forsythia
Forsythia x intermedia 'Courtasol'
2-3' tall, 3-4' wide
Hardiness zone 4-8
Kumson Forsythia
Forsythia viridissima koreana
4-6' tall, 6-8' wide
Hardiness zone 4-8
The leaves have a unique silver vein
Meadowlark Forsythia
8-10' tall and wide
Hardiness zone 4-8
Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia
Forsythia x 'NIMBUS'
18"-2.5' tall, 2'-3' wide
Hardiness zone 5-8
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Love, Holly (Owner & Creator of Houseplant Homebody LLC)
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