Habitat

• native to China
• zone 5

Habit and Form

• a compact deciduous shrub
• 1' to 2' tall and 3' wide
• dense and twiggy
• older branches arch over

Summer Foliage

• opposite leaf arrangement
• leaves are ovate, 0.75" to 2" long
• leaves are closely set on the stem; 2-ranked
• stems squarish with prominent lenticels

Autumn Foliage

• yellow-green with purple tinges
• foliage held late

Flowers

• light yellow
• blooms in March and April
• this cultivar is generally a sparse bloomer

Fruit

• usually not produced

Bark

• stems are yellowish-brown with prominent lenticels

Culture

• easy to grow
• easily transplanted
• soil adaptable
• full sun is best, tolerates light shade

Landscape Use

• generally not for bloom like the majority of forsythias
• for nice, compact habit
• in groupings
• as a low hedge or border
• groundcover if tight spacing is used
• along walkways

Liabilities

• lack of heavy blooming that most people expect form forsythias
• rabbits will damage plants

ID Features

• dwarf compact habit
• square stems with lenticels
• 2-ranked leaf arrangement with opposite attachment on stem
• pith is chambered at both nodes and internodes on new shoots. Excavated on older stems (hollow)

Propagation

• easily rooted form stem cuttings
• layers

Cultivars/Varieties

'Bronxensis' - This commonly available, interesting cultivar is a departure from the Forsythia norm. The habit is low and spreading, to 1' tall and much wider. The leaves are rich green and the early flowers are light yellow, but less showy than upright standard forms. Unlike other Forsythia, this cultivar makes a good groundcover or container subject.

var. koreana 'Ilgwang' - This form is larger growing, to 6' tall and wide, and features leaves that are attractively margined with gold markings.

var. koreana 'All Gold' - This plant is a sport collected from 'Ilgwang', and its leaves are uniform bright gold. 'All Gold' grows 5' tall and wide.