Bare stems crowd with sparkling yellow flowers before a single leaf appears, then fade fast — the earliest signal of spring in the border. Border forsythia (Forsythia intermedia) is a very hardy deciduous shrub of 6 to 10 feet, grown as a specimen, in beds or as a flowered hedge; prune just after blooming and next year’s flowers are assured.
| Name | Forsythia intermedia |
|---|---|
| Family | Oleaceae |
| Type | shrub |
| Height | 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) |
| Exposure | full sun and part sun |
| Soil | ordinary, not too chalky |
| Foliage | deciduous |
| Flowering | early spring |
| Special feature | Very hardy |
Caring for forsythia is easy, from planting to pruning, and every bit of attention goes towards helping the growth and bloom of your plant.
This shrub is best planted right at the beginning of fall or in spring, but avoid at all costs days of freezing or very hot weather.
Even though it is known to be hardy (it resists to the coldest temperatures in its native Western Europe), root development will be at its best with proper planting.
It is also possible to grow forsythia in a pot on a terrace or balcony, but prepare to repot every 2 or 3 years.
An easy plant to care for, you won’t have any chores to go about with your Forsythia once it’s properly settled in.
It helps to water after planting, for a whole year.
After that, you’ll only have to water if it’s in containers or pots.
Forsythia doesn’t suffer from pruning at all.
You can prune it severely, if need be.
Only one rule if you want to have flowers in the following year:
Prune just after the blooming!
Cut it back as much as you wish, trying to keep the shape as appealing as you can.
The Forsythia shrub is extremely hardy and resists diseases very well.
Most problems you’ll ever get can probably be traced back to improper care.
Check that it isn’t exposed to scorching hot sun, that it doesn’t lack water, or that the soil is soggy for too long after rains.
Beyond the widely planted ‘Karl Sax’ and ‘Lynwood’, a handful of forsythias are sold year after year in garden centres. They differ mainly in size and in how reliably the flower buds survive a hard winter.
| Variety | Height | Flowering and habit | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ‘Golden Times’ | 5 to 7 ft | Yellow flowers, then leaves margined in cream-yellow | A shrub that stays interesting after flowering |
| ‘Lynwood Gold’ | 8 to 10 ft | Broad-petalled rich yellow flowers set all along the stems | Specimen shrub or a flowered hedge |
| ‘Northern Gold’ | 6 to 8 ft | Upright, with flower buds that survive severe winters | Cold gardens where other forsythias bloom poorly |
| ‘Spectabilis’ | 8 to 10 ft | Dense clusters of deep yellow flowers, vigorous arching growth | Large informal hedges and screens |
| ‘Bronxensis’ | 1 to 2 ft | Low dense mound, pale yellow flowers | Edging, banks and ground cover |
Forsythia, or Border Forsythia, is famous for its sparkling yellow blooming at the beginning of spring. Note that more and more stores offer a beautiful alternative to yellow, the white forsythia.
Flowers are rather short-lived, but they are simply remarkable, and their early blooming is like the preview of your magnificent gardens…
Landscapers often showcase Forsythia as a standalone, but this shrubs also does well in flower beds or flowered hedges. Beautiful varieties include the ‘Karl Sax’ and the ‘Lynwood’
→ Read also: Pruning shrubs and trees
Feel free to spread mulch to protect roots from the cold, avoid weed growth and provide the soil with the organic matter it needs.
