Forsythia brings spring drama

Forsythia is that highly recognizable shrub alerting us each year that warm weather is on itsway. Withwoody stems that seemto reach up to the sky covered in hundreds of little, golden flowers, it is hard not to notice one of these showy plants in the early springtime. Always making a dramatic entrance, forsythias can be a great addition to any size garden, nicely filling in spaces or gaps in height between trees, herbaceous plants, and grasses.

Forsythias are also called “golden bells” and are compatible with Santa Fe’s growing zone (USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 5b-6a), although if there are too many do best in full sun to partial shade and once the soil begins to warm to around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, they will begin to bloom. Depending on the temperature, they can bloom from mid- to late March into mid- to late April.

Forsythia is a genus that belongs to the Oleaceae or olive family, with over 10 species, though that number varies with the numerous hybrids and cultivars that are grown throughout the world. A deciduous shrub originating from Eastern Asia, the first forsythia, Forsythia suspensa, was discovered by the Swedish Botanist PeterThunburg. He originally named it Syringa suspensa, after the lilac genus, but Forsyth, a renowned Scottish horticulturist and founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Forsythia flowers have four petals that are joined at the basewith two stamens and a pistil. Each spring, the flowers are pollinated by insects, predominately native bees, as the weather gets warmer. Depending on the species, shrubs can grow up to 10 feet tall and 15 feet wide and should be pruned after all the blooms have died in spring. If you wait until after July or into the fall to prune, this will result in fewer to no flower blooms the next spring. Older canes should always be cut to the ground and unruly stems should be syrups, though they have a bitter taste, so theymay be best left as an attractive garnish for salads or dishes. The young leaves are sometimes used in soups; however, the more mature leaves also taste bitter. The fruits are used in Chinese medicine as a diuretic and skin tonic, as well as for colds, bronchitis, and strep throat. Native American tribes may have used the plant medicinally but there is little information on this.

If you can’twait for your forsythia to bloom, you can force the stems by cutting them and putting them into a tall bucket of warm water. They should bloom within two weeks; changing the water daily will help speed up the process.

Forsythia shrubs are a great choice for borders and hedges, adding a dramatic burst of color when the other shrubs are dormant. In the Victorian language of flowers, forsythia symbolizes anticipation, a prefect name for a flower so many have come to anticipate each spring.

Forsythia × intermedia, a hybrid of F. suspensa and F. viridissima, is a good pick for our climate that can be found at Agua Fria Nursery, Payne’s Nurseries, and Newman’s Nursery.

COURTESY PHOTO