Plant Type

Shrub

 

Height Range

6-12'

 

Flower Color

Yellow

 

Flower Season

Spring

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

Brown, Grey

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full

 

Water

Low, Medium

 

Growth Rate

Moderate

 

Soil Type

Clay, Loam

 

Soil Condition

Average, Poor, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Meadow, Ranch

 

Accenting Features

Fragrance, Showy Flowers

 

Seasonal Interest

Spring

 

Location Uses

Background, Shrub Border, Foundation, Walls / Fences

 

Special Uses

Cut Flowers, Hedge, Screen, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

This forsythia grows about 8 feet tall and 6 feet wide, with a slightly more upright habit than the species, making it well suited to smaller spaces. Same brilliant masses of yellow spring flowers, as with the species.

Shearing really does ruin the graceful lines of Forsythia. To control size or re-invigorate for new growth, prune hard immediately after flowering or selectively prune any time during the summer; see tips for guidance. Requires well drained soil; heavy wet soils will cause it to decline and be diseased. Requires only moderate water once established. Forsythia, while quite showy in the spring, can be a bit drab in the summer, so plant it with later flowering shrubs such as lilacs and rose-of-sharon.