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Forsythia suspensa

golden-bell

Oleaceae China

Attracts Pollinators Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant Container Friendly

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 5–8

Overview

Forsythia suspensa, weeping forsythia or golden-bell, is a deciduous shrub in the olive family (Oleaceae) reaching 39-118 inches (1-3 m) tall and as wide, with slender, arching to pendulous branches that root where their tips touch the ground. Before the leaves appear, in early spring, the bare stems are lined with nodding, bell-shaped yellow flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, each with four narrow petals split nearly to the base. The mid-green leaves that follow are oval, 1.2-4 inches (3-10 cm) long, sometimes divided into three leaflets on strong shoots, and turn dull yellow or purple before falling. The hollow or chambered pith of the twigs separates it from related shrubs. Native to China, it has long been grown as an early-spring flowering shrub, and its dried fruits (lian qiao) are used in traditional Chinese medicine. It tolerates a wide range of soils but flowers most freely in full sun, with bloom reduced in deep shade. The arching stems can spread widely and layer into thickets if left untrained.

Native Range

Forsythia suspensa is native to China, where it grows on scrubby hillsides, thickets, and woodland margins. It has been cultivated for centuries in East Asian gardens and is now widely planted across temperate regions.

Suggested Uses

Grown as an early-spring flowering shrub in borders and informal hedges, on banks where the arching stems can cascade, and trained against walls, spaced about 4-6 feet (1.2-1.8 m) apart. Cut stems are brought indoors in late winter to open early.

How to Identify

Weeping forsythia is known by its long, arching to trailing branches and, in early spring, by the yellow bell-shaped flowers borne on bare wood before the leaves open. Each flower has four slender petals joined only at the base. The oval leaves, sometimes three-parted on strong shoots, appear after flowering, and the twigs have a chambered or hollow pith. Its pendulous, tip-rooting stems separate it from the stiffer, more upright Forsythia x intermedia.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3'3" - 9'10"

Width/Spread4' - 10'

Reaches mature size in approximately 4 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring

Flowering occurs in early spring, generally March to April, on the previous year bare stems before the foliage emerges. The nodding yellow bell-shaped flowers open over two to three weeks and give an early nectar source for bees. Flowering is heaviest on wood that grew in full sun the previous summer.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

mid-green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range6.0 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

3-5 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Forsythia suspensa grows in full sun to part shade on most moderately fertile, well-drained soils and is hardy in roughly USDA zones 5 to 8. Full sun produces the heaviest flowering, while shade thins the display. Once established it tolerates drought, urban conditions, and a wide pH range. Because it blooms on the previous year wood, pruning is done right after flowering to let new shoots ripen for the next spring. The arching stems layer where they touch soil, so the shrub can spread unless trimmed back. It has few serious pests, though it may show occasional dieback or galls.

Pruning

Pruning is carried out immediately after the spring flowers fade, since the flower buds form on the current season growth for the following year. About one in four of the oldest stems can be cut to the base each year to renew the shrub. Tip-rooted layers are severed and removed where spread is not wanted.

Pruning Schedule

late spring