The bright yellow blooms of forsythias are hard to miss in early spring, especially in the still-sleepy landscape recovering from winter. Happily, these cheerful flowering bushes are adaptable, fast-growing, and forgiving in any soil. Learn how to plant, grow, and care for forsythia—including tips on when to prune.
About Forsythia
Forsythia are members of the olive family (Oleaceae). Although this shrub has become naturalized in much of Europe and North America, its ancestors hail mainly from East Asia—namely China and the Korean Peninsula—and one species from Europe.
As landscape plants, forsythias are suitable for planting in most of the continental United States; species and hybrid crosses are hardy from Zone 3 to Zone 8. However, blooms may be delayed in temperatures below -5° to -10° F.
Depending on the cultivar, the shrub may reach up to 10 feet in height and 12 feet in diameter, so give forsythia plenty of space unless you want to plan on pruning. Their yellow flowers that appear in early spring bloom on their long, arching branches. The flowers are self-sterile.
The forsythia shrub makes a vigorous border for any yard or driveway. The flowers attract birds and early pollinators, including bees and butterflies. They’re pretty in cottage gardens and winter gardens as a backdrop to spring bulbs.
