If you are a plant geek like myself, you would have noticed the Forsythia just barely breaking open their flowers back 3-4 weeks ago when we hit in the 70s. Then we had some cool and cloudy weather afterward and they have been in a holding pattern. This warm weather today has broken them out of that pattern.
The sight of forsythia in bloom can bring a sense of joy and anticipation to even the most jaded gardener. Forsythias are deciduous shrubs with bright, golden-yellow flowers that typically appear before their leaves. They generally reach heights of 6 to 10 feet and thrive in full sun and well-drained soil. Although they require little maintenance, some pruning is necessary in order to keep them healthy and attractive. When dead or overcrowded branches need removal, it should be done as soon as possible after blooming, as this will encourage vigorous new growth for the following year’s flowering season. Additionally, fertilization once per year during early spring can help maintain lush foliage and abundant blooms. With these simple steps, gardeners can enjoy the beauty of forsythia shrubs all throughout the spring season!
If your yard isn’t big enough for a Common Forsythia, Proven Winners has bred many smaller varieties of this Spring favorite:
Compact forsythia with superior bloom display. Show Off Starlet® forsythia is a beacon of yellow flowers in spring. This compact selection is the ideal alternative to the huge old gangly varieties, and it has the famous dense bloom set as the original Show Off® forsythia.
Height: 2-3’ Width 2-3’
GOLD TIDE®
Gold Tide® forsythia is a dwarf low spreading shrub with attractive feathery, fresh light green foliage. Blooms on two-year old wood.
Height: 2-2.5’ Width 3-4’
SHOW OFF SUGAR BABY®
Show Off® Sugar Baby® forsythia is a true miniature selection that delivers more flowers per inch to create an outstanding spring display. A very compact, dwarf plant which provides lots of spring color in a small space and does not require pruning.
Height: 1.5-2.5’ Width 2-3’
SHOW OFF®
Selected especially for its extremely dense flower bud set, Show Off® forsythia creates an unparalleled spring display. Regular pruning is not required to create a handsome, bushy specimen.
Height: 5-6’ Width 5-6’
So, looking at the Forsythia and Daffodils in full display now, I noticed a common theme. Apart from the green of new growth there is one color which stands out at this time of year: Yellow. I would go so far as to call it the color of Spring, for isn’t anywhere near as prevalent at any other time of the year among flowers in our landscapes.
The idea intrigued me and having done a little reading around the subject it would appear that there are several theories as the why shades of yellow and white are the colors of Spring. Firstly, being brighter colors, they are easily spotted by what few pollinators are around in the cooler weather conditions. Next, the paler colors soak up the warmth from the weak early Spring sun more efficiently in relation to their background foliage and then darker colored flowers which generally emerge later in the season. This allows them to develop better and remain fertile even in colder temperatures.
Get out in nature and enjoy Spring and consider adding a Forsythia to your landscape.
