Forsythias are harbingers of spring, beloved for their early, prolific display of brilliant yellow blooms.
These upright, deciduous, occasionally semi-evergreen shrubs possess mostly hollow, angled branches with foliage held in opposite pairs. The leaves are usually simple (without lobes or indentations), or trifoliate (three-lobed), with smooth or serrated margins. Showy, tubular yellow blooms with four spreading petals generally appear before the leaves, and are borne singly in the leaf axils (joints between the leaves and stems). The fruits that follow are capsules which split to release a few slightly winged seeds.
The plant refers full to part sun locations and clay or loamy soils, and some are tolerant of a wide range of conditions. Give these shrubs room to spread, as they can become quite large. Most do not take well to shearing, and should be pruned with discretion just after flowering if at all, so the buds for next year’s blooms can develop in the fall. These lovely shrubs are effective planted in masses or groups, and their stems may be cut and brought indoors for forcing into bloom in late winter. (source: learn2grow.com)
Genus - Forsythia
Species - Suspensa
Common name - Trifoliate Forsythia
Pre-Treatment - Required
Hardiness zones - 5 - 9
Height - 8'-10' / 2.4m - 3.0m
Spread - 10'-20' / 3.0m - 6.1m
Plant type - Medium Shrub
Vegetation type - Deciduous
Exposure - Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth rate - Fast
Soil PH - Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil type - Loam
Water requirements - Average Water, drought tolerant
Care level - Easy
Landscape uses - Cutflower, Feature Plant, Hedges
Germination rate - 85%
Bloom season - Early Spring, Late Winter
Leaf / Flower color - Dark green / Yelow
Useful Info | |
Germination | A short stratification (~30 days) in vermiculite or clean sterile soil/sand will increase the germination rate and speed.<br /> You can plant the seeds indoors at just about any time of the year. This is because you have the benefit of a regulated environment indoors. The best time to sow seeds in the nursery bed is in the spring after the last frost. For seeds planted indoors, place just a few in each container or compartment of the germination tray. Select the most sturdy seedlings after germination for transplanting. If planting outdoors, place seeds no more than half an inch into the soil. Do not bury them deeply as they may rot and seed germination will be prevented.<br /> Put water in a spray bottle and spray the seed beds lightly. Apply water twice a week during the first 8 weeks. Thereafter, you can water once weekly. It is important that the soil is consistently moist but not wet. Avoid creating wet soil conditions as this will overwhelm the seeds. They are likely to be suffocated and rot.<br /> For indoors planting, place the germination tray or pots in a warm, humid place. Make sure the site receives plenty of natural light. However, do not place in a full sunlight area. Once the seeds sprout, move into a direct sunlight area.<br /> Cover the germination tray with a perforated plastic lid to allow breathing. Keep the tray covered except when spraying water.<br /> Do not allow the soils to dry out as seed germination may be disrupted. (info source: doityourself.com) |