Few plants herald spring as cheerfully as forsythia. Before the leaves show their faces, this shrub’s branches are covered in bright yellow flowers from top to bottom. As the flowers fade, the clean green foliage emerges and maintains nice color all summer.
Varieties like the extremely hardy Meadowlark (10’ x 10’) and tough Northern Gold (8’ x 7’) showcase an upright rounded habit that is excellent for hedges and mass plantings. If you’re looking for a lower mound of yellow, Gold Tide is a dwarf variety that has a compact, spreading shape and attains a size of about 2′ tall and 4′ wide. Forsythia is not only beautiful in the landscape, but great for fresh spring bouquets too. Simply cut some branches before the flower buds open and enjoy them in a vase.
Other than cutting for bouquets, it’s best to prune forsythia right after it is done blooming. For best vigor and shape, plant in full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil. Once established, it displays good adaptability to many soil conditions and salt tolerance to boot.
The varieties of forsythia we carry are selected for superior bud hardiness, so you can enjoy them even in MN. In fact, we have a beautiful established forsythia in our display garden. Feel free to come and admire it and enjoy the fresh spring air!
