Start growing
Extremely hardy and fast growing. Prune immediately after flowering.
GROW SOMETHING WONDERFUL
Forsythia
Forsythia × intermedia
Your guide to planting, growing, and getting to know this plant.
THE PLANT NOTEBOOK
Forsythia care, from seed onward.
- Botanical name
- Forsythia × intermedia
- Common names
- Border Forsythia, Golden Bell
- Family
- Oleaceae
- Genus
- Forsythia
- Species
- F. x intermedia
Growing with your kit
The Seeds In A Cup® methodology involves timing your planting so the 'Spring Burst' flowers coincide with the Easter season.
Propagation
By hardwood or softwood cuttings (very easy).
Seasonal growth & harvest
One of the earliest bloomers in spring; symbolic of the end of winter.
Growing conditions
Adaptable; prefers full sun for best flowering.
Weather & tolerances
Highly urban tolerant; handles poor soils well.
Pests & plant health
Generally pest-free; occasional gall formation.
Plant safety
Non-toxic to humans and pets.
Botanical features
A deciduous shrub known for its profuse, bright yellow bell-shaped flowers that appear before the leaves.
Varieties
‘Lynwood Variety’, ‘Karl Sax’.
Garden & everyday uses
Hedges, flowering screens, and cut branches for 'forcing' blooms indoors
Native range & distribution
Garden hybrid of Asian native species.
Conservation
Common garden hybrid.
Name origins
Named after William Forsyth, a Scottish botanist and founder of the RHS.
History
The first Forsythia was brought to Europe from China in the 1830s, revolutionizing spring garden aesthetics.