Forsythia spp. and cvs. (Forsythia)

Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

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Botanical Name: Forsythia spp. and cvs. for-SITH-ee-ah Common Name: Forsythia Genus: Forsythia

Its blaze of yellow flowers is surely one of the first harbingers of spring. Forsythia are widely recognized for their utility in a shrub border, a bank, or for hedging, and their light to deep yellow, four-petaled flowers.
Noteworthy characteristics: The branches are great for arrangements and are easy to force in late winter.
Care: Grow in moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. Choice cultivars are suitable for specimen planting or rock garden placement. Prune after flowering (one option is to remove the oldest stems and selectively shape).
Propagation: Take greenwood cuttings in late spring or early summer, take semi-ripe cuttings in late summer.
Problems: Arabis mosaic virus, stem gall, dieback, root knot nematode, leaf spot.

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Photo/Illustration: Steve Aitken

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