Forsythia: description, species, varieties

The main advantage of forsythia is the violent bloom of bright yellow flowers in early spring, when the other trees are still waking up. This makes it a popular ornamental plant in Europe and America for more than 200 years. The cultivation of this shrub in China or Korea is several thousand years old: in addition to its decorative qualities, the medicinal properties of forsythia were appreciated here (in ancient Chinese treatises, it is included among the fifty principal medicinal plants).

The Forsythia genus unites various species: nine of them originate from East Asian countries, the Balkan peninsula is the birthplace of one - the Forsythian European -.

Forsythia: plant description

All species of the genus Forzition (Forsythia) of the Olive family according to their external features (morphological andbiological) are similar.

Externally, Forsythia is a garden shrub with yellow flowers (1 to 3 m tall). The leaves are opposite, oval-shaped (15 cm long). Blossom - small bell-shaped flowers of four petals in few-flowered inflorescences. Color - the most different shades of yellow - from lemon golden to dark orange. Abundant flowering (usually until the leaves bloom) lasts from 20 to 40 days. Fruits - elongated boxes with winged seeds. Forsythia is light-requiring, undemanding to soils. For 200 years, breeders have produced dozens of Forsyth varieties that differ:

• on the characteristics of the bush (shape, crown, size, type of branches, etc.);

• the size of the flowers (small, medium, large);

• on pigmentation of leaves, branches and flowers (different shades of yellow in flowers, green, yellow and violet in leaves, green, yellow, red in branches).

Forsythia intermediate

Forsythia intermediate (F. intermedia) is a yellow shrub of large size (it can reach 3 m in height and 2.6 m in width of the crown). Shoots - straight.Oblong ten centimeter leaves have coarse-toothed edges. Begins to bloom at the age of three. It blooms 20 days at the end of April. Flowers are yellow-yellow shades, grow in several pieces in inflorescences.

Its most popular varieties are:

• densely colored (densiflora) - with spreading branches, crowded with flowers of yellow and pale yellowish shades;

• wonderful (spectabilis) - straight shoots, on them - large (4 cm) bright yellow flowers in inflorescences (5-6 flowers each);

• primrose (pumulina) - wavy flower petals, the flowers themselves are located near the bases of the shoots;

• Beatrix Farrand is a tall bush (it can reach four meters in height), vertical shoots, flowers of bright yellow shades are distinguished by orange stripes at the base. Winter hardiness is average;

• Lindwood is a tall bush (over 3 m), flowers (3.5 cm in diameter) have the color of bright gold. The dark green summer color of the leaves changes to purple autumn;

• Fiesta is a small bush (up to 1.5 m) with small flowers the color of gold, emerald leaves (they become spotty in autumn, in yellow and cream tones).

Forsythia wilted

Forsythia wilted (F. suspensa) or crying. Under natural conditions found in Korea and Northeast China. Received the name because of a bush form - thin escapes creep along the ground. Ten centimeter leaves are ovate, opposite, three-lobed. The color of the leaves is green, with autumnal colds turning purple. The flowers are bright, small (up to 2.5 cm), in the inflorescences - from one to three flowers. It has a good winter hardiness.

Hanging forsythia

Forsythia hanging (Forsythia suspensa) has another name - forsythia drooping. It looks like a shrub with sprawling arched branches of olive color. Actively used to decorate walls. Thanks to forsythia, many hybrid varieties have been bred:

• Variegata ("Motley") - characterized by xiphoid saturated green (yellow-motley autumn) leaves and flowers of dark yellow and orange hues;
• Artokalis (purpurea) - differs in dark purple shoots in summer and foliage of the same color in autumn;
• Forchuna is the most ornamental forsythia shrub: at first, straight-growing shoots grow, and later - arcuate shoots. The leaves are narrow, flowers - with orange-yellow petals. In the inflorescence grows from 2 to 6 flowers. It does not bloom every year;
• Siebold - the most frost-resistant form, is a low shrub. Shoots - thin, spread along the ground. The leaves are simple. Petals of flowers are painted in dark yellow tones and bent back;
• Dipsiens (deceptive) - attracts with large (over 4 cm in diameter) flowers with golden-yellow petals. The leaves in the summer of dark emerald green color change in autumn to red-brown.

Forsythia ovoid

Forsythia ovoid (F.ovata Nakai), whose birthplace is the Korean peninsula, was described at the beginning of the 20th century.

Forsythia ovoid - early flowering yellow shrub. This is a low bush - from 1.5 to 2 m tall. Spreading branches have a greyish yellow color due to the color of the bark and green seven centimeter leaves with pointed tips. In the fall, the plant is “worn” in dark purple and orange. Blossoms in single yellow flowers (2 cm) for 15-17 days.

The most famous varieties:

• Dresdner Forfruling - differs in earlier flowering (three weeks earlier than other varieties). Flowers are traditional for Forsythia - medium size (up to 4 cm) with delicate yellow petals;
• Tetragold is a low bush (up to one meter in height) with yellow mustard flowers. Flowering is also earlier;
• Spring Glory - American variety (known since 1930). Its height and width are approximately equal - about 3 m. Very abundant flowering in April - May. The flowers have bright yellow petals.Green summer leaves change to bright yellow-purple autumn;
• Goldzauber - blooms with large flowers of gold color, tolerates late frosts;
• Weekend - shoots grow up, blooms immediately after the snow melts. Large flowers are traditionally yellow.
• Arnold Draft - forzition dwarf variety with thick branches (flowering in splendor inferior to other varieties).

Forsythia is dark green

Forsythia dark green (F. Verdissima) or the greenest is a three-meter bush, dark green bark gives a greenish color to the whole bush. Shoots grow up. Large lanceolate leaves (15 cm long and 4 cm wide) grow very densely. Flowers of large size have green-yellow pigmentation. It was opened to Europeans in 1844 by Robert Forchun in the mountains of the Chinese province of Zhejiang.

Forsythia the greenest bush is well suited for the formation of hedges. During winter frosts in mid-latitude conditions, this kind of forsythia needs shelter (for convenience, a low-growing Bronkensys variety was specially bred).

European forsythia

Forsythia european (Forsythia europaea) - the only type of Forsythia from Europe, was described only in 1897. The shrub has a compact crown, straight shoots and reaches a height of 2-3 m. flowers. Flowering occurs simultaneously with the appearance of foliage (this reduces the decorativeness of the plant). The color of the leaves is saturated light green, in autumn it changes to yellow-violet. Winter hardiness is average. Famous for longevity (can live over 70 years). Thus, for areas with cold winters and frequent frosts, frost-resistant forsythies (hanging, ovoid, intermediate) varieties are better suited. For areas located to the south, the choice is wider - literally all types of foresight can adapt normally.