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Growth Rate
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Fast-growing shrub, adding 1–2 feet per year under ideal conditions.
Reaches approximately 5–6 feet tall and wide at maturity.
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Colorful leaves
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Flowering
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Yes |
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Bloom Color
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Disease resistant
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Yes |
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Cold Tolerant
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Yes |
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Heat Tolerant
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Yes |
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Drought Tolerant
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No |
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Deer Resistant
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No |
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Edible
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No |
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Wildlife Attraction
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- Early blooms provide one of the first nectar sources for bees emerging in spring.
Dense branching offers nesting cover for small birds.
Not generally a major wildlife food source, but beneficial for early pollinators.
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Self-pollinating
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Seasonality
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Spring: Masses of golden-yellow flowers.
Summer: Green foliage provides a leafy backdrop.
Fall: Leaves fade to yellow-green before dropping.
Winter: Bare branches, sometimes showing attractive form against snow.
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Ideal For
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– Spring accent shrub, foundation plantings, early-season color in mixed borders, informal hedges, cottage gardens, naturalistic plantings, mass planting for bright spring display |
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Leaf Description
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- Deciduous, opposite leaves.
Medium to dark green, ovate to lanceolate, typically 2–4 inches long.
Fall foliage can be yellowish-green, though not a major ornamental feature compared to the spring flowers.
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Flower Description
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Profuse golden-yellow flowers along arching stems.
Bloom time: early to mid-spring, often one of the first shrubs to flower after winter.
Flowers are four-petaled, star-shaped, about 1–1.5 inches wide, covering bare stems before leaves emerge.
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Planting Instructions
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Plant in early spring or fall when the soil is workable and temperatures are moderate.
Dig a hole about twice as wide and the same depth as the root ball.
Place the shrub at the same depth it was growing in its container.
Backfill with native soil, firm gently, and water deeply to settle roots.
Space plants 4–6 feet apart if planting as a hedge, as this cultivar grows into a dense, upright-rounded shrub.
Mulch around the base with organic mulch (2–3 inches), keeping mulch away from the crown to prevent rot.
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Pruning & Maintenance
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- Prune immediately after flowering (late spring), since blooms appear on old wood.
Remove up to one-third of the oldest stems at ground level to rejuvenate the shrub.
Lightly thin crowded branches to improve airflow.
Avoid heavy pruning in late summer/fall, as it will remove next year’s flower buds.
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Water Needs
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Moderate water needs:
Water weekly in the first growing season to establish roots.
Once established, it is moderately drought tolerant, though best flowering occurs with consistent moisture.
Avoid waterlogging; ensure soil is well-drained.
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Light Needs
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Prefers full sun (6+ hours of direct light daily).
Can tolerate light partial shade, but flowering will be reduced.
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Harvesting
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- Not typically grown for harvest.
Forsythia stems can be cut and forced indoors in late winter — place cut stems in water indoors to encourage early flowering.
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Fertilizing
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Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (10-10-10) in early spring before new growth emerges.
Compost or well-rotted manure around the root zone also benefits the shrub.
Avoid overfertilizing, as this can cause excessive vegetative growth at the expense of flowers.
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Pollination
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Forsythia is not grown for fruit and is primarily ornamental.
Flowers are bisexual but typically self-sterile; some forms produce small, inconspicuous capsules after cross-pollination, but fruit set is rare.
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Companion Plants
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Early spring bloom partners: Flowering quince (Chaenomeles speciosa), early-blooming Magnolia stellata, Prunus (ornamental cherries).
Evergreen backdrop: Thuja occidentalis, Taxus media, Buxus sempervirens.
Summer/fall color support: Hydrangea paniculata, Spiraea japonica, Weigela florida.
Works beautifully in mixed borders, shrub hedges, and cottage gardens.
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