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Forsythia
Forsythia
Also called golden bells
Forsythia blooms from March through April.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Forsythia
Plant it in full sun. It prefers moderate water. It is hardy in USDA zones 5–8. Expect it to reach about 6.6 ft tall and 6.6 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 3 years.
When to plant Forsythia
Plant Forsythia in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 5 to 8 range, spring means March to May and fall means August or September. Once settled, it blooms from March to April.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 6 in March.
Comes in 6 varieties
Same plant, same care - pick the variety you are growing.
Good to know about Forsythia
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
Forsythia blooms on old wood, setting next spring's buds the previous summer. Prune right after the flowers fade; a late, dormant, or shearing cut is why it stops blooming. per NC State and Illinois
Flower buds are cold-tender
On standard cultivars the buds winter-kill around -5 F to -10 F while the shrub lives; hardy cultivars hold buds to -30 F to -35 F. Choose a hardy one. per Wisconsin and Illinois
Renewing an overgrown plant
Two ways to reset a leggy old shrub: cut every stem to 3 to 6 inches and lose a year's bloom, or thin a third yearly for three years. per Iowa State and Illinois
Safe around pets
The ASPCA lists golden bells as non-toxic to dogs, cats and horses; a nibbling pet might get mild, passing stomach upset but no real poisoning. per ASPCA
Low value for bees
The bright flowers look inviting but the common hybrid is sterile, giving bees no nectar or pollen. Pair it with a true early nectar plant like viburnum. per University of Vermont
Spreads where stems touch soil
Long arching branches root wherever they touch the ground, so an untended plant creeps outward into a thicket. Handy for free plants, but give it room. per NC State and Wisconsin
Force branches for early color
The flower buds sit ready on the stems all winter, so branches cut in January or February and stood in water indoors open in about 10 days. per Clemson
What pairs well with Forsythia
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Snow-in-Summer
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Candytuft
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into late spring; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Sea Thrift
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; overlaps, then carries the display into early summer; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; evergreen, so the bed keeps its shape through winter.
Fan Flower
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; low at 8 in, to carpet the ground beneath; blue against yellow, for contrast.
Verbena
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; low at 10 in, to carpet the ground beneath; purple against yellow, for contrast.
Bacopa
Takes full sun to part sun and moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; its white flowers settle the yellow.
Thyme
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late spring as this one finishes; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; pink against yellow, for contrast.
Autumn Crocus
Shares full sun and moderate water; blooms in early fall, extending the bed's season; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; purple against yellow, for contrast.
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