Forsythia is named after the English horticulturist William Forsyth, who served as gardener for King George II of England. The main attraction of the Forsythia plant would be the bright yellow bell shaped flowers. Besides their beauty these flowers offer an “early food source for pollinating insects” according to New World Encyclopedia; http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Forsythia.  The growth pattern of the Forsythia, if left untrimmed, is eight to ten feet in height and ten to twelve feet in width. Part of their appeal is the ease with which they can be controlled and shaped into any smaller area of your yard or garden if you wish to make one a focal piece of your early spring landscape.

Their versatility makes Forsythia appealing as either a focal piece or a hedge. A Forsythia hedge is fast growing, providing privacy in only a few years, beautiful in the spring covered in  yellow flowers, and appealing to nesting birds in the summer with its intricate branching and mass of light green leaves. When establishing a Forsythia hedge spacing between each individual plant is determined by the speed in which you would like your hedge complete and the size at time of purchase.  Usually a complete hedge can be established in three years when spacing is three feet apart on centers. I have mass planted forsythia in large areas near the road and they appear to withstand the conditions presented by winter road maintenance. The arrangement of spacing plants randomly every twelve or fifteen feet makes for a very natural looking landscape throughout the year. This is a great idea for large entry ways both commercial and residential.

Forsythia can be planted in most soil types. It does not have a preference between acid and alkaline and does well in both loamy and sandy soils. Forsythia does prefer well drained soil but I have seen it thrive in areas that are wet in the early spring. Under the right conditions Forsythia plants can grow as much as two feet in one year. Exposure to sunlight is more important for the flowering process than the growing process. Therefore it is best to plant in a sunny area but not necessary in order for the plant to grow. The best zones to plant Forsythia in are 5-8. For more on plant zones please refer to the blog on Plant Hardiness Zones.

Forsythia, in most areas of the United States, will be one of the first shrub varieties to bloom. For those whom spring takes too long to arrive, Forsythia braches can be cut while there is still frost in the air and brought inside to bloom. This simple process involves cutting branches with visible buds, putting the branches in a vase with water and allowing the warmth of the indoors to open those buds. Keep the vase out of direct sunlight during the process of warming and move to a sunnier location once the blooms begin to show.  ENJOY!!!!!!!