Choosing a forsythia

According to the colour of the flowers

To date, there is no variety of forsythia that produces flowers in any colour other than yellow. No matter how hard you search, you will only find forsythias with spring yellow flowers.

• With yellow flowers of varying intensities, the species Forsythia x intermedia is the most well-known, and its varieties are numerous. Notable mentions include the highly floriferous Forsythia intermedia ‘Spectabilis’, the small Forsythia intermedia ‘Marée d’or’ and Forsythia intermedia ‘Minigold’, as well as the vigorous Forsythia intermedia ‘Week-End’.
• The flowering of Forsythia viridissima ‘Citrus Swizzle’ blooms in lemon yellow from March to April.
• Rare and less known, the Forsythia koreana ‘Kumsun’ has a more slender and light silhouette than Forsythia x intermedia. From March to May, it produces small yellow flowers.

However, there is a shrub very similar to forsythia that offers a similar flowering, but in different colours. This is abeliophyllum. Belonging to the same family as forsythia, it comes in white or pink:

• Also known as Korean white forsythia, Abeliophyllum distichum reveals a pinkish white flowering in February/March.
• The Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’ (Korean pink forsythia) showcases pink flowers with a sweet almond-like fragrance.

Yellow flowers of Forsythia x intermedia, white and pink blooms of Abeliophyllum distichum and Abeliophyllum distichum ‘Roseum’

According to the colour of the foliage

Forsythias generally have simple, dentate deciduous leaves that are green in colour. However, they can sometimes be semi-evergreen depending on the species or the climate (regions with milder winters).

Some stand out with more unique foliage:

• Parisian mimosa ‘Citrus Swizzle’ features variegated green leaves with yellow and cream, turning red in autumn
• Korean forsythia ‘Kumsun’ produces unique foliage that is green with strongly marked cream and yellow veins
• Parisian mimosa ‘Minogold’, like forsythia ‘Golden Times’, displays superb green foliage marginate with yellow-green. Sometimes, it takes on yellow or orange-red hues in autumn.

Be aware that some varieties of forsythia display beautiful autumn colours (yellow, orange, or purplish-red) before shedding their leaves for the winter period. Here are a few examples:

• Dark green leaves blaze in late season for Abeliophyllum distichum: changing to yellow, orange-red, or purple-red.
• Forsythias ‘Mêlée d’Or’ and ‘Weekend’ turn dark purple-violet in autumn.
• Dark green cultivars of Forsythia intermedia ‘Lynwood’, ‘Gold Rausch’, and ‘Mindor’ change to orange and violet in autumn.

Forsythia koreana ‘Kumsun’ (photo wallygrom), Forsythia intermedia ‘Golden Times’ (photo Elektryczne jabłko) and forsythias in autumn (photo Barbara Eckstein – Flickr)

According to the flowering period

Forsythias are part of the early flowering bushes. Indeed, early in spring, the flowers bloom on the wood of the previous year, well before the leaves. While many other plants are still in dormancy, the bare branches of the Paris mimosa are covered with a multitude of single flowers measuring 1 to 4 cm, composed of 4 petals. For most forsythias, flowering occurs in March/April.

However, like the Abeliophyllum distichum, the Paris mimosa ‘Lynwood’ flowers earlier from February to March.

On the other hand, others extend their flowering from March to May, for example, forsythia ‘Marée d’Or’ and Forsythia koreana ‘Kumsun’.

According to its dimensions

Bushy or creeping, forsythia can vary in size depending on the species and varieties. Generally, three size categories can be distinguished:

Small forsythias under 1.5 m tall

Among the smallest Paris mimosas, forsythia ‘Marée d’Or’ is very useful as a groundcover bush that naturally layers itself. It does not exceed 80 cm in height with a spread of 1 m.

Reaching about 1 m tall, we can mention the Forsythias intermedia ‘Mikador’ and ‘Minigold’ with compact and slightly spreading foliage.

The Forsythias intermedia ‘Mêlée d’or’ and ‘Nimbus’, as well as Forsythia viridissima ‘Citrus Swizzle’, form a homogeneous bushy clump of approximately 1 m in all directions.

Reaching 1.2 m in all directions at maturity, the Korean forsythia ‘Kumsun’ has a bushy habit that is more flexible than other forsythias.

Medium forsythias 1.5 to 2 m tall

Medium-sized forsythias exhibit an upright habit. In our collection, for example, the varieties of Forsythia intermedia ‘Golden Times’ and ‘Mindor’ reach 1.5 m in all directions at maturity, just like the white and pink Abeliophyllum distichum.

A bit taller, the Forsythia x intermedia ‘Gold Rausch’ typically grows to about 2 m tall. Its silhouette is naturally regular and well-rounded.

Large forsythias over 2 m tall

There are Paris mimosas that can exceed 2 m in height. For example, the varieties Forsythia intermedia ‘Lyngold’, ‘Lynwood’, ‘Spectabilis’, and ‘Week-End’ can grow up to 2.5 m tall and develop a spread of 2 to 2.5 m.

The largest in our collection is the species type Forsythia intermedia, which becomes a large bush of 3 m tall with a diameter of 2 m.

The dwarf forsythia ‘Mikador’ (under 1.5 m), a medium-sized forsythia (1.5 to 2 m), and the large Forsythia x intermedia exceeding 2 m tall

According to the habit and use

Forsythia is used differently depending on its habit and size. Originally, the Parisian mimosa is naturally upright, but hybridization has created new bushes with a creeping habit. These smaller varieties create a lovely groundcover effect in rockeries, slopes, and border beds (for example, Forsythia intermedia ‘Marée d’Or’). These dwarf varieties also fit well in low hedges or in pots and containers on the terrace or balcony (notably Forsythia (x) intermedia ‘Nimbus’, which is low, upright, and sturdy, or the Parisian mimosa ‘Minigold’ with a bushy and spreading habit).

Conversely, medium and large forsythias are perfect for the back of a flowering bed due to their upright habit. This profusion of small golden-yellow flowers on erect branches beautifully complements spring-flowering shrubs, perennials, or spring bulbs. In hedges, pair them with evergreen shrubs to maintain a lovely display even after the flowers fade. Having little interest in summer, dress up a forsythia by planting a summer-flowering clematis at its base. The forsythia then serves as a support for climbing plants that adds a splash of colour to the green foliage. You can also plant your large forsythia as a specimen or even train it against a wall!

Forsythia as a specimen, in a mixed hedge, or in a rockery

For further reading

• Discover our tutorial on pruning forsythia
• Get inspired by our advice sheet: Forsythia: 7 ideas for garden combinations