Forsythia: description, planting and care

Forsythia: description, planting and careAt the time of flowering, the forsythia shrub can not leave anyone indifferent: its drooping branches, densely covered with golden yellow flowers, bell-shaped, fascinate, resembling solar cascades. And even after the forsythia bush fades, it does not lose its decorative effect, because bright flowers are replaced by no less bright, large leaves of a rich dark green color.

What does forsythia look like during flowering

The plant forsythia (Forsythia) belongs to the family Olives (Oleaceae), its homeland is East Asia, Southeast Europe.

Forsythia, or forsythia, is an early flowering deciduous shrub with yellow shoots and bright green oval or triple-separated leaves, which combines 6 species common in East Asia and one species growing in Southeast Europe. Among these six species, three East Asian varieties are distinguished by frost resistance: ovoid forsythia, or oval, drooping, or hanging, and intermediate.

For amateur gardeners, the most promising f. European (F. epopea), f. hanging (F. scandens), f. intermediate (F. intermedia), f. dark green (F. viridissima) and etc.

Forsythia is an early flowering shrub up to 2 – 2,5 m tall, with sprawling ascending or drooping shoots. The leaves are large, simple or trifoliate, opposite, occasionally serrate along the edges, dark green in color. Forsythia deserves special attention at the time of flowering: golden-yellow, single, bell-shaped flowers are densely strewn with branches. Forsythia blooms profusely, in early spring, before the leaves open. In the conditions of central Russia, flowers begin to bloom in late April – early May, some species have a weak aroma. In severe winters with little snow, some of the flower buds die, so it is recommended to bend down the shoots for the winter so that they are covered with snow.

Here are photos of forsythia flowers:

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Forsythia is highly decorative. It is especially effective in single and group plantings, in rock gardens and mixborders. Suitable for covering fences and low walls. Twigs blooming in early spring are very attractive, they are cut in buds, flowers bloom in vases, and the cut is at home for 10 – 12 days.

Planting and caring for forsythia shrub (with photo)

The plant is quite demanding for heat, suffers from severe frosts, in central Russia, shoots often freeze slightly, but then the crown quickly recovers. It should be planted in fertile soils, in open, sunny places, protected from the wind. For the winter, it is advisable to slightly cover the ground under the bushes with leaves. Forsythia easily tolerates gas pollution.

Forsythias are durable and do not get sick. At the same time, the plants are drought-resistant and undemanding to the soil. They grow to their maximum height very quickly. When planting, for ease of caring for forsythia, it is better to choose sunny areas, in extreme cases, partial shade. Freezing species need to be bent to the ground for the winter, which allows flexible branches to be made, and covered with spruce branches. The formation of bushes should be started immediately after flowering; old and powerful branches should not be pruned, since the vast majority of flower buds are located on them.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

It is best to plant these plants in groups in open areas. So that flowers appear immediately after active heat, they are planted along a warm wall or on a sunny edge.

Hanging forsythia can be placed on the slopes, where it will look spectacular. If you cut off a branch of forsythia with buds in January and put it in warm water, then leaves will appear soon.

When growing forsythia, plants need to be watered, loosened around the trunk circle, and weeds must be weeded. The shrub tolerates dry soil better than too wet.

In winter, the most vulnerable spot for forsythia is the flower buds that appear on last year’s shoots. Therefore, so that in the spring the branches are strewn with flowers, the plant is covered for the winter: the branches are bent to the ground and covered.

In the spring, when the buds begin to bloom, you can remove the frozen ends of the shoots to live wood. And immediately after flowering, shorten the branches so that by next year as many side shoots as possible are formed.

The photo of planting and caring for forsythia shows how to properly grow this shrub:

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

How to propagate a forsythia bush

Propagated by green and lignified cuttings, seeds, weeping forms – by layering.

Propagation of forsythia by lignified cuttings is a simple matter. In October, thick annual shoots are cut into cuttings of 15 cm each, poked into loose soil so that two or three buds remain on the surface, and covered with dry leaves. In the spring, the cuttings will begin to grow and by autumn they will turn into seedlings. If the plants are weakly branching, they are pruned. They also do the same with frozen plants. The cut branches can be rooted in water and then planted.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

For propagation of forsythia, cuttings with two pairs of leaves can be cut in June – July. Lignified cuttings are prepared at the end of winter. After 2-3 weeks, when the cuttings take root, they are planted in the garden and kept so for two years. If the plants are weakly branching, they are cut on a stump.

When propagating by layering in summer or autumn, the lower young branch is bent to the ground, fixed with hairpins and sprinkled with fertile soil (before bending the branch, you can cut the bark on it – then the roots will appear faster). In the spring, this branch is cut off from the bush. By next year it will be a new plant.

A faster propagation method is green cuttings. Before propagating forsythia, cuttings are cut in June, after which they are impregnated with a root growth stimulator and planted under a film, where there should be room temperature and high humidity.

Shoots of weeping species take root on their own.

Seeds should be sown in autumn or spring after 2-month stratification in beds and looked after like any other seedlings, observing the irrigation regime and applying universal fertilizers once a year.

As you can see in the photo, forsythia seedlings are closed with spruce branches for the winter:

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

After a year, the seedlings must be dived, and after another 3 years, transplanted to a permanent place.

Types and varieties of forsythia shrub

Here you can find photos and descriptions of the most popular forsythia species.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Siebold form – undersized, with dark yellow flowers, thin creeping shoots. It grows quickly, hardy, hardy in urban conditions, used in landscaping. This type of forsythia grows best in fresh fertile soils containing lime. In amateur gardens, it is recommended to plant in groups, or along paths, for decorating slopes and in wide curbs. Used for early distillation for bouquets.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Forsythia GiraldaForsythia giraldiana… Homeland – China. Cultivated since 1938. Shrub with spreading, thin branches, flowers up to 2 cm long, light yellow. Blooms in April very profusely and for a long time (up to three weeks). Quite winter-hardy, good for hedges and planting in groups.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

European forsythiaForsythia europaea… Originally from Albania. Height up to 2 m, shoots are thick, elastic, yellow flowers with dark yellow stripes. In cold winters, it often freezes, even in Ukraine.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Hanging forsythiaForsythia suspensa… Grows wild in mountainous China. A large shrub, up to 3 m high, with sprawling, arcuate curved shoots sometimes creeping along the ground, with spectacular – up to 3 cm in diameter – yellow flowers. Blooms in late April for more than three weeks, very profuse. It blooms especially well in rich soils with sufficient lime content. Quite winter hardy look. Very good when grown with trellises.

The most interesting, noteworthy, is forsythia hanging the form is deceiving. It is a large shrub with intense yellow flowers. Dark green leaves acquire a beautiful brown color in autumn. The flowers are very large – up to 4 cm in diameter, single. Blooms in April – May for three and a half weeks. Quite hardy.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Average fortification, or intermediateForsythia intermedia (F. suspensax F. viridissima Lindl.). Beautiful forsythia of hybrid origin. Large, broadly spreading shrub up to 3 m tall, part of the branches are arcuate, hanging down, part directed upwards, with golden-yellow, crowded flowers.

Look at the photo – the flowers of the forsythia shrub of this species are collected 2-3 per inflorescence, golden-yellow, the perianth tube inside with orange-yellow stripes, the flower limbs are long, the same length as the tube:

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

It blooms very profusely for more than three weeks from the second decade of April even before the leaves bloom and is very effective during flowering. It is very resistant to drought, severe frost and gas pollution. Propagated by cuttings.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Forsythia: description, planting and care

Interesting varieties of forsythia of this species: “Spectabilis”, Spring Glory, “Beatrix Farand”.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Forsythia dark greenForsythia viridissima… This plant is native to China, up to 3 m high, with erect shoots, greenish-yellow flowers. In central Russia, in severe winters, it freezes over heavily.

Forsythia: description, planting and careForsythia: description, planting and care

Forsythia ovoidForsythia ovata… Shrub up to 2 m high, native to the Korean Peninsula. Leaves are bright green, broadly ovate, pointed, up to 7 cm long. Flowers are bright yellow, solitary, up to 2 cm in diameter, blooms in April – May for 3 weeks. By autumn, the leaves turn dark purple and orange, making the shrub very elegant. The most winter hardy of all types.

Now you know what different types of forsythia look like, it’s time to learn about pruning shrubs.

Pruning forsythia (with video)

Planting forsythia is usually carried out with 2 – 3-year-old seedlings. In this case, all damaged, weak and diseased shoots should be removed. The existing several skeletal branches are cut by only 3 – 7 cm. They do this above a strong and healthy bud. In the first year after planting, forsythia blooms very weakly.

After the end of flowering, all faded branches must be cut off, leaving only strong growths. In the second year, again after flowering, all faded branches are removed, since powerful shoots are formed below them, from which the crown of the bush will form in the future. All weak shoots should be removed immediately. In the third and subsequent years, the work done earlier is repeated. Faded branches and 1/4 of old shoots are removed, while maintaining the shape of the bush. The main feature of forsythia is flowering on last year’s growths. On the basis of this, all the techniques for trimming it are built:

  • forsythia pruning is carried out immediately after flowering;
  • at the same time, all faded branches are cut and removed;
  • at the same time thinning and shortening of old branches are carried out.

This is done for the accelerated development of generative buds on a new growth. Adult bushes rejuvenate once every 3-4 years by pruning on a stump. However, in order for the bushes to continue to bloom, this work should be carried out in 2 – 3 stages, stretching for 2 – 3 years. Mature forsythia plants can be left without pruning for several years, provided they do not oppress neighboring plants.

Anna Evans

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