Forsythia

Info

Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Oleaceae (olive family). They are deciduous shrubs typically growing to a height of 3-9 feet, with rough, greyish-brown bark. The leaves are opposite, usually simple with a basal pair of small leaflets. The flowers are produced in the early spring before the leaves, bright yellow with a deeply four-lobed corolla, the petals joined only at the base. The Forsythia's flowers are impressive with the fact that they are able to produce lactose (the milk sugar). Lactose is very rarely established in other natural sources except milk.

Forsythias are popular early spring shrubs in gardens, home landscaping, and parks. They are flowering shrubs, with yellow flowers. They are known for being tough, reliable garden plants. Forsythia is frequently forced indoors in the early spring.

Varieties

  • Lynwood Gold

    Upright and spreading shrub with big yellow flowers up to the entire length of the stem. One of the best and most reliable forsythia. Fast growing. Likes full to partial sun.

  • Spectabilis

    Showy broder shrub. Grows at a rapid rate and is long lived. Profuse, yellow spring flowers are followed by medium green summer foilage. Prefers full sun.

Care and Maintenance

  1. Preparing the Hole

    Dig the hole as deep as the root ball, and as much as three times as wide as the diameter of the root ball. Breaking up the soil around the tree provides the newly emerging roots room to grow into loose soil to hasten establishment.

  2. Placing Your Tree

    Place the tree carefully in the center of the hole after removing it from the container. The tree's root collar (the bulge right above the root system) should be just above the top of the soil. Don't dig the hole too deep. It is better if the root collar is slightly (1 to 2") higher than ground level because of possible setting.

  3. Filling the Hole

    Carefully fill the hole with soil when the tree is positioned and straight. Fill the hole about 1/3 full and lightly push the soil around the base of the root ball. Fill the remainder of the hole taking care to gently but firmly pack soil to eliminate air pockets that may cause the roots to dry out. Don't plant the tree too deep. Back fill the soil to the height just below the root collar.

  4. Mulching

    Place 2 to 4 inches of mulch in a 2 to 3 foot circle around the tree. Keep the mulch from touching the trunk to keep fungus from growing on the trunk. Mulch can be aged wood chips or bark. Mulch helps keep roots moist and insulates them, and prevents weed growth. It is not recommended to apply fertilizer at the time of planting.

  5. Watering

    Water the tree well as soon as you plant it. Water the tree at least once a week for the first year after planting. A slow, root-saturating, one-hour trickle once a week is recommended for a new tree. The watering schedule should be adjusted accordingly if it rains or is very dry.