Forsythia, Heralding Spring

Whenever winter nears the end, I keep my eyes peeled for the first sign of spring color. And although it’s technically not spring yet, the first colors have appeared! The yellow of the early daffodils, and the pinks of Japonica. Along with the golden yellow of the Forsythia. The latter is the focus of this article.

Forsythia came to my attention years ago when I lived with an older lady whose house was located on the bank of Elm Creek in town. She knew her plants and she knew her birds. It was because of her that I became interested in the flora and fauna of Texas. She marveled when the first flowers appeared after the dull grays and dreariness of winter. And I do, too. So when winter starts waning, I look around, and every year, I find Forsythia, and I know our spring is just around the corner.

Forsythia, also called “Golden Bells,” is a plant in the olive family. It is named after William Forsyth, a Scottish botanist known for his work in horticulture who lived from 1737 through 1804. Apparently, he brought the shrub over to England from China. The word “forsythia” was first used in 1814 after Forsyth had already passed away, but was given to the genus of plants in honor of Mr. Forsyth in 1805. (As an interesting aside, Forsyth comes from “fearsithe,” a Gaelic word meaning man of peace.)

Forsythias are native to China and Japan and parts of southeastern Europe. They are enjoyed for their yellow bell-like flowers that bloom before leaves form on the shrubs. Forsythias are shrubby plants that grow in any type of soil that drains well, and can be as small as 2 feet tall and wide to 10 feet tall and wide, depending on conditions. They can grow 24 inches in a year and fill up a space as a screen rather quickly.

The individual bell-like flowers of the Forsythia appear in late winter and will last about two weeks before the leaves form. They are rather small, about 1 1/4” to 1 1/2” long and wide, and do not produce pollen. However, on warm sunny days, bees and butterflies may be found hovering around them.

It is best to plant, or transplant Forsythias in the late fall or early spring, when temperatures are between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. They should be given sufficient space to grow, from 4 feet to 6 feet apart. After a year or so, the plants may be fertilized.

Forsythias may be propagated by layering, which requires low-hanging branches to be secured to the soil with a peg or large garden staple and covered with a few inches of soil. The branch will produce roots over several months. The gardener can then remove the newly rooted section at a point on the branch with a sharpshooter shovel or hand trimmers. The separated piece may then be planted in the ground or in a pot at the gardener’s discretion and watered in. 

Forsythias may also be propagated by taking 6 to 8 inches of a branch that includes many leaf buds, snipping off all but a couple of leaves, and placing the larger end 3-4 inches deep into a small pot of well-draining moist soil, or right in the soil. The leaf buds in the soil will produce roots.

They may be planted in large pots for interest on patios, in rows for a hedge or a screen, and on banks and slopes for erosion control. A useful fact for us in West Texas is that the plant is deer-resistant, shade-tolerant and drought-tolerant.

When Forsythia shrubs become overgrown, they may be trimmed or reshaped to a more controlled or pleasing shape. Since the plants produce flowers only on the older growth, it is best to trim the shrubs immediately after the flowers fall off, before new branches form to become the old wood on which the next season’s flower buds quickly begin to develop. Old Forsythia plants may be rejuvenated by trimming them to about 6 inches from the ground. And leggy plants may be made bushier by trimming some of its branches as close to the ground as possible.

Winter is almost over for us here. I have seen the Forsythias blooming here and there for about 2 weeks already and am eagerly waiting for spring! I’m also looking forward to seeing more of these Golden Bells in West Texas in the years ahead.