Forsythia: features of growing in a temperate climate. Forsythia: a description of the species and the secrets of the correct move Forsythia: a brief description
Bush without leaves. forsythia is different early flowering. Buds appear before greens. As a result, a golden ball is visible. If you do not form a crown, cutting it, you get a free-form composition.
Abundant flowering bush makes you forget about the leaves. There is simply no place for them on the branches. Greens appear when Forsythia fades. William Forsythe caught in the buds, and therefore drew attention to him.
The botanist took the cuttings and took them to Europe. Imported from China. It is there that Forsythia grows in natural conditions. Given that the shrub is named after Forsyth, it is more correct to call it Forsythia. However, a modified version of the name has taken root among the people.
Description and features of Forsythia
Forsythia shrub- a kind of Chinese sakura. Like a Japanese cherry blossoms in early spring. In sakura, buds also outstrip the appearance of greenery.
However, cherries only bloom for a few days. Forsythia in spring pleases with an abundance of yellow buds for a month and a half. Like sakura, medium in size, only there are 4 petals on them. Cherries have 5 of them.
Forsythia buds resemble bells in shape. They are collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces. yellow tone buds are barely noticeable, and sometimes almost red. When the color subsides, fruits are formed.
These are boxes with seeds on umbrellas. They resemble those that form in dandelions. Umbrellas help seeds to be carried through the air, to take root many kilometers from the parent.
forsythia plant belongs to the Maslinov family. Sakura belongs to Plum. But the sizes of the bushes are the same. Like a cherry Forsythia yellow grows 1-3 meters tall, depending on the species and variety.
However, we will devote a separate chapter to specific features. In the meantime, we mention that the bushes are usually 1-2 meters wide. Respectively, blooming forsythia interested only gardeners. Shrubs are rarely kept in houses, as a rule, in large and bright halls, into which they will enter.
Forsythia in the photo, where the bushes are already with leaves, is distinguished by their opposite position on the branches and oval shape. The length of the plate reaches 15 centimeters. Like sakura leaves, Forsythia greens have a serrated edge and a pointed tip. The latter, in some varieties, is divided into 3 lobes.
Among the heroine of the article is a long-liver. Buy Forsythia means to provide your garden with beauty for at least 50 years. It is believed that donated ones take root and grow better.
Therefore, instead of buying Forsythia, many people try to take a seedling from a friend. Find out where it starts growing forsythia in open field .
Planting and caring for Forsythia
Planting and caring for Forsythia start with choosing a method of reproduction. On sale there are bush cuttings, layering and seeds. The latter are sown in the middle of spring with the expectation of 30-50 percent germination.
Given the spreading of future bushes, the seeds are laid at least a meter away from each other. 5-8 grains are buried in the hole. If several germinate, leave the strongest shoot.
IN reproduction of Forsythia seeds begin by planting them in home or greenhouse pallets. Already grown bushes are transplanted into the garden. As a rule, this occurs in the 2nd year of life, but it can also be in the 1st.
Up to 12 months, the shoots are extended by 4-8 centimeters. In the second year of life forsythia bush reaches a height of 12-30 centimeters, and on the 3rd - almost a meter.
Forsythia flower forms at least for the 6th year of life. So, the beauty of the plant will have to wait. The first 6 years - only trunks with a rough grayish bark and unremarkable leaves. In the first year after transplanting the bush into open ground, you need to cover the soil with a layer fallen leaves. She will warm Forsythia without letting her die.
Reproduction of Forsythia by layering begins with cutting the bush. The stump remains. During the summer, flexible, healthy and young branches grow on it. In autumn they are placed in furrows in the ground. The branches bent to the soil should go into it by 2-3 centimeters.
So that the elastic branches do not straighten out, they are fixed with wire arcs. They are placed above the shoots, sprinkled with earth. Being located on top, the soil gives additional weight.
The earth before propagation of Forsythia is loosened by layering. Small gravel is poured into the bottom of the furrows in the ground. It serves as a drainage, does not allow the branches to rot. Already in the spring they will give roots and young shoots.
So, several more children can grow around the mother bush. However, given the sprawling Forsythia, branches-layers should be long. These grow over the summer, as a rule, in hanging forms. We will talk about them in the next chapter.
Most often, the heroine of the article is propagated. They can be prepared in winter. This is true for Siberia. IN middle lane Russian cuttings are prepared in the summer.
In the first case, the branches are stored until spring in a cool and wet room. During summer propagation, the cuttings are immediately placed in the soil. Rooting is recommended in film greenhouses. In them, the branches give roots in a month.
For one cutting, 2 internodes are enough. About half a centimeter of the trunk remains under the bottom. The lower leaves are torn off the branch, and the halves are cut off from the upper ones.
Spending resources on greens prevents cuttings from rooting. When they appear, the plants are covered with foliage and left to winter in the greenhouse. Under the open sky, Forsythia is recommended to be taken out in the 2nd year.
Forsythia cuttings winter breeds more difficult. The shoots have time to stiffen, are less active in the vegetative plan. Summer cuttings are green, flexible, full of juices for rapid growth.
Having taken root, the heroine of the article does not cause trouble. Bushes feel equally good, both in the shade and in the scorching sun. Drought and frost are also equivalent for Forsythia, it experiences both weather phenomena.
Forsythia pruning
True, therein lies the catch. If you cut the shoots too short, Forsythia will throw all its strength into the formation of greenery. Flowering can be expected, but it will not work.
From soils, the heroine of the article is supportive of alkaline soils. Natural alkali - limestone and other sedimentary rocks, for example, shell rock. Accordingly, it is necessary either to enrich the soil with chalk masses, or to plant the plant in a substrate that already contains them.
Types and varieties of Forsythia
Decoratively grown 6 species. The first is European. It grows to 2-3 meters and has a narrow crown. She is like an egg. Therefore, bushes can be planted not at a meter distance from each other, but at about 50 cm away.
Pictured is Forsythia European
The buds of "European" bushes reach a diameter of 2 centimeters, drooping, lemon tone. Sounds nice. But, of the other Forsythia, the "European" is recognized as the least decorative. On the other hand, the species blooms annually in the conditions of the capital, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar.
In mountainous areas, Forsythia "The Greenest" takes root well. She has dark green, elongated leaves and yellow-green. The branches of the bushes are vertical, powerful, stretching up to 3 meters.
In the photo, Forsythia is the greenest
The crown of the "Greenest" Forsythia is sprawling. The diameter on the branches is about 3 centimeters. Representatives of the species do not tolerate cold, in Russia they bloom annually only in the southern regions. Outside, the bushes freeze slightly.
The third type of Forsythia is "Dangling". It is also called "Crying". Like the "Greenest", loves mountainous areas and foothills. "Weeping" Forsythia is recognized as the most beautiful, but in Russia it grows only in the Crimea and the Caucasus. The name of the species is due to hanging branches. The corollas of the buds on them have orange stripes. The diameter of the flowers is 2.5 centimeters.
Pictured is Forsythia Hanging
Breeders crossed "Crying" and "Greenest" Forsythia. Intermediate the hybrid was named "Medium". The name matches the data. Shoots straight at the warping hang down at the ends. Like the parent ones, the "Medium" differ in height and power.
The combination of genes gave hybrids that survive in the northern regions of the non-chernozem zone of Russia. No wonder that Forsythia "Medium"- the most popular in domestic open spaces.
Pictured: Forsythia Linwood
Take, for example, the variety "Linwood". Forsythia with this name is resistant not only to frost, but also to drought, feels comfortable in a gassed atmosphere, which means it is suitable for planting in urban areas.
It remains to mention Forsythia "Giralda" and "Egg-shaped". The latter is diminutive, it does not grow more than 2 meters. Representatives of the species are distinguished by the brightness of greenery and single-planted buds. They bloom even in Siberia. Its inhabitants stock up on seeds and seedlings of the Dresdner, Tetragold, and Melisa varieties.
Pictured is Forsythia Tetragold
Forsythia "Giralda" is also miniature, but more sprawling than "Egg-shaped" and inferior in bud color. They are light yellow, almost vanilla. Differs "Giralda" and thin branches.
They are good for decorating hedges. In April, they will be covered with buds with a diameter of about 2 centimeters, collected in inflorescences of 2-3 pieces. Flowering is possible in the conditions of Central Russia and the Ural region.
Medicinal properties Forsythia
In China, Forsythia is included in the top 50 medicinal herbs and is used in traditional medicine. The reason for this: - the composition of the plant. Its shoots contain rutin. Otherwise, it is called vitamin R.
The human body needs it, but it has not learned how to produce it. Meanwhile, rutin strengthens capillaries, reduces arterial pressure, normalizes the rhythm of the heart.
Contains Forsythia and Phyllirin. It belongs to glucosides. The "family" of the latter is beneficial for hair, nails, skin. Enhances the action essential oils. They are also available in the shoots of Forsythia.
Another component of the heroine of the article is lignans. These are polyphenols. For the body, they are phytoestrogens. This is the name of plant compounds that can replace the human hormone.
In the photo, Forsythia is intermediate or medium
Plant estrogen, with a lack of its own, prevents the development of cancer, mainly tumors of the mammary glands. Therefore, Chinese doctors put dried Forsythia in first-aid kits for women.
together useful material Forsythia have not only antitumor, but also anti-inflammatory effect. Juices help with diseases of the gallbladder, liver, cardiovascular system.
Doctors have listed Forsythia as a broad-spectrum antibiotic, anti-febrile, and anti-emetic. Appointments are made by specialists in traditional medicine.
Forsythia price
Forsythia cuttings cost from 90 rubles. Seedlings in the form of one-year-old bushes are offered from 160 rubles apiece. The price depends on the type and variety of the bush. Some positions in seedlings cost 600-950 rubles. The average request is 250-400 rubles.
Forsythia in seeds is a rare offer. If it is, you have to pay about 200 rubles for a pack with 1 gram. In conditions that are comfortable for the shrub, germination is almost 80%. So the costs are justified. True, Forsythia grown from seeds, as a rule, bear fruit later than seedlings.
Forsythia was brought to Russia in 1861. At least by this time there is a note about the planting of shrubs in botanical garden St. Petersburg. It came to Europe from China in the 17th century.
Pictured is Forsythia Weeping
But, the main selection work was carried out in the 20th. It was in this century that frost-resistant varieties of Forsythia. Now, there is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of the Chinese "sakura" in Primorye, in the Urals, in Siberia.
Perhaps not only decorate the garden, but also improve health. In most Russian regions there are clinics of Tibetan medicine, which means that there is someone to consult with about the use of Forsythia for medicinal purposes. The shoots of the flower are not only dried, but also tinctures are made on them.
Forsythia (Forsythia) is a genus of shrubs that belong to the Olive family. They bloom beautifully in early spring, and their yellow flowers captivate the eye of every person. The flower owes its name to the world-famous botanist William Forsyth, who was engaged in plant breeding and landscaping of Kensingen Palace. He first brought a shrub from China to a European country and created all the conditions for its natural growth and flowering. He became the first breeder who tried to create a unique species, as adapted as possible to weather conditions Europe.
Today, this shrub has become widespread in Russia, especially in the Moscow region. It is used in many household plots, as this type of plant does not require special care or any special gardening skills.
Features of forsythia - description of the plant
Many people refer to forsythia as a small tree, but in the biological reference book it is the plant is classified as a shrub. Its height can vary from 1 to 3 meters. The leaves on the shrub have a simple, oval shape with small serrated edges. Their length is from 2 to 15 centimeters. Forsythia bears bright yellow, bell-shaped flowers in early spring. Flowering lasts up to 3 weeks, and at the end a fruit-box with winged seeds appears.
Ideal conditions for growing forsythia
Despite the fact that the plant itself is unpretentious in care, does not require special knowledge and skills, gardeners made a number of recommendations, which will help in the quick and proper cultivation of forsythia:
How does forsythia reproduce?
Forsythia can reproduce in several ways: cuttings and seeds. Most often, gardeners resort to cuttings. To do this, use the lower branches of the plant, which are in contact with the ground, they are rooted. Very often there are cases when these branches take root on their own, which makes it possible to get a new plant.
In the case when the cutting method is chosen, it is necessary to cut off the lower branch and dig it in the open ground, covering it with earth by 10–15 centimeters. It is very important to cut the bark during planting so that the root system can freely form.
You can use the cutting method from mid-summer to October. In late autumn, a young plant requires special protection. For this it must be covered with foil and cover with dry foliage or straw on top.
Today, options for planting a finished plant seedling are available. It is rooted in the ground and must be protected from freezing in winter.
Forsythia planting rules
In order for the plant to quickly take root in the ground, for planting it, it is necessary to dig holes measuring 50x50x60 cm. This will allow you to deepen the horse system into the ground by 40 centimeters. Each subsequent bush of the plant should be located at a distance of at least 1.5 meters.
At the bottom of the hole for forsythia, it is necessary to lay a drainage of 10 centimeters. It can be broken brick, rubble. Next, a layer of sand of 10 centimeters is laid, then a substrate of sand is laid down, leaf ground and peat. From above, the soil must be covered with wood ash.
A seedling is placed in the prepared hole and dug in with earth, rammed and watered abundantly.
Plants planted in spring period do not require special care, and those planted in the fall must undergo a site mulching procedure. The material that will be used for sheltering should be well breathable, this will allow you to avoid kidney debate during the winter thaws.
Basic rules for caring for forsythia
So that the shrub pleases with its flowering and beautiful forms, need to take good care of it.
- forsythia requires timely and proper feeding. April is the best month for fertilizing. As soon as he finished flowering, it is necessary to apply mineral fertilizer, it will help form new flower buds that will be needed next year;
- Forsythia care should include timely watering. Most often, the plant has enough water from natural precipitation, but on hot days it is necessary to provide additional watering at least once a month. A prerequisite care is loosening the soil after each such watering. Loosening should occur to the depth of the shovel bayonet;
- basic care also involves pruning the plant. The main task of such an event will be thinning the crown of the plant, which will help stimulate the growth of new, young shoots. You need to cut off old, damaged branches by 2/3 of their length. It is better to start the work itself immediately after flowering before the appearance of new leaves on the shrub. In the case when the shrub has become very thick and wide, it is necessary to carry out corrective pruning.
In our climatic conditions forsythia grows 5 different types. Each of these species has its own characteristics and external differences. Today, the following types of plants are distinguished:
- forsythia hanging or hybrid;
- plant ovoid or European;
- dark green forsythia.
Forsythia hanging down
This species is most often used by gardeners on their plots. Photos with this plant can be found in many. This shrub reaches 3 meters, while the branches are arched, drooping.
The stems are olive in color, pouring oval with toothed edges. During flowering, bright golden flowers bloom on the plant, the diameter of which is about 2 centimeters. All of them collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces.
Forsythia hybrid
This plant is the result of selectors' experiments. It tolerates frost and drought well, while the view of this shrub is luxurious. Its height reaches 3.5 meters, the shoots can be straight or inclined. During flowering, bright yellow inflorescences appear on the shrub. This species requires minimal maintenance, which makes it the most sought after among gardeners.
Forsythia ovoid
In the photo, this type of shrub has an elegant shape. Its height varies within 2 meters, while the crown has widely scattered leaves and branches. During flowering, the entire bush is beautifully covered with bright yellow inflorescences. Once the flowering period is over, the shrub also looks amazing, as it develops beautiful, oval-shaped leaves.
This type of forsythia blooms the earliest and has an amazing view in autumn.
Forsythia european
This plant attracts gardeners with its shape, it always forms an amazing hemisphere with a large diameter. The flowers on it during flowering have a bright lemon color and the leaves are pale yellow. A feature of this plant is durability: in one place the plant can grow up to 70 years.
Forsythia dark green
The name of the plant fully characterizes its appearance. The flowers on the plant have a beautiful light green color, and the leaves are dark green. This species is undemanding in care, is not afraid of drought, its planting is also easy. The plant can grow even in dry areas.
Diseases and pests that forsythia is afraid of
Basically, this plant is not afraid of diseases and pests. But sometimes you can meet such fungal disease like Phomopsis. Small growths in the form of a wart appear on the plant. Such a disease cannot be cured, it is necessary to dig out the old forsythia and plant a new one in its place.
You can also notice leaves on the plant that are covered with small spots or specks - this is a sign of damage by the Altenaria or Phyllosticta fungus. You can fight this disease with the help of copper sulfate.
The fungi Lygus and Poeecilcapsus contribute to the formation of chestnut spots on leaves. To fight, you need to use an insecticide.
In the case when the plant began to fade, it can be treated with foundationazole or captan. You can also degrease the soil with carbation.
Very often, the cause of lethargy forsythia can be root rot. To avoid such damage, it is necessary to adjust proper watering. Optimal care in this case is 15 liters of water every 3 weeks.
In the case when the root system is rotten, you do not need to immediately throw away the plant. It is enough to dig it out, cut off all the damaged areas and soak root system in a disinfectant solution for half an hour. Planting this bush should be done in a new, prepared hole. Only in this case the process of cultivation and reproduction will be hassle-free.
What is the place of forsythia in landscape design
This plant is most often chosen for landscaping their summer cottages, garden allotments. Today, this plant is actively planted in city squares, parks, as it requires a minimum of care, but at the same time it has a luxurious appearance and is able to bloom remarkably. In addition to early flowering, this plant provides beautiful shade in summer and in winter has a great view. Many landscape designers plant forsythia with others. similar plants, which forms a beautiful, bright corner of nature.
Also, today you can find bright compositions from various varieties of forsythia, which allows you to use the bright colors of nature and create unique corners of wildlife that will decorate and delight everyone. Forsythia - the reproduction of which can decorate any place, can be an excellent element of extravagant design.
Forsythia is perennial unpretentious plant that requires minimal maintenance. All you need is to buy a cutting, plant it correctly and take care of it throughout the year, and a beautiful green oasis on the site will be provided. Reproduction also does not require special efforts. Such a plant is able to bloom magnificently.
Forsythia is a sprawling, rather tall (up to 3 m) shrub of the Olive family.
Her home is East Asia, but for a long time forsythia has successfully adapted in the European part of Russia, as well as in Siberia and the Urals. It is valued by landscape designers and loved by gardeners for its spectacular and very early flowering.
With the first warm days, bell-shaped flowers of golden color appear, when leaves have not yet blossomed on the shoots. Against the background of gray bare orchard solar balls densely covered with blooms look fabulous.
But let's leave poetry, because in order for a garden to be beautiful, you need to take care of it, and gardening is very prosaic. For successful cultivation, you need to know what features planting and caring for forsythia in the open field in different regions have.
Requirements for growing conditions
Forsythia, called forsythia in Europe, has become the queen of city squares and alleys, thanks to its unpretentiousness and ecological plasticity. But in order to get plentiful and bright flowering, you need to try to create the best conditions for her.
When choosing a place, it is better to give preference to sunny areas, but forsythia feels at ease in partial shade. It is desirable that there is protection from the prevailing winds. Soils should be nutritious, light, breathable, without stagnant water. heavy and acidic soils need preparation. It grows well in calcareous soils.
Forsythia is quite drought-resistant and does not need frequent watering, as a rule, it manages with precipitation. Waterlogging, stagnation is detrimental to shrubs melt water and poor aeration of the root system.
Forsythia shows good winter hardiness, but in the conditions of the Urals and Siberia it needs shelter for the winter. In these regions, it is necessary to select southern well-warmed areas for planting.
For the European part of Russia, varieties of 3 types are recommended: hanging (drooping), ovoid and hybrid (intermediate). In the south of Russia, European and dark green forsythia are grown. In Siberia and the Urals, it is better to plant the most winter-hardy species: ovoid and intermediate. In this case, it is necessary to carefully study the characteristics of specific varieties.
Reproduction of a yellow-flowering beauty
Forsythia breeding work is carried out mainly in the fall. Let's make a reservation right away that seed reproduction, although possible, is “not worth the candle”, leave these experiments to breeders.
Like all shrubs in private gardening, forsythia propagates vegetatively: cuttings and layering. Propagation by layering is the easiest and fastest way to get a new seedling. In autumn, flexible falling branches are bent to the ground, a shallow incision is made in the bark at the place of the dig, pinned for fixation and dug in with moist loose fertile soil.
Already next spring you will have a ready-made seedling, which must be separated from the mother plant. Over the summer, a young plant will form a powerful root system, and in the fall it can be transplanted to a permanent place. With this method, the flowering of the shrub will begin already at 2 - 3 years of age.
Also in the fall (September - October), reproduction is carried out by lignified cuttings. To do this, the mature shoots of the new year are cut into cuttings 15 cm long and planted in a shkolka in the open field or in a greenhouse, deepening 10 cm into the substrate, so that 2-3 buds remain. For the winter, the cuttings are covered with dry leaves and covered with snow during the winter.
Rooting and growth planting material will have to be for the entire growing season and only in the fall the grown seedlings can be transplanted to a permanent place. They will bloom a little later than with the first method, but cuttings allow you to get a large yield of planting material. This method is convenient if you want to plant hedge and make an alley.
In summer (June), you can propagate forsythia with green cuttings. They are cut from a young growth, the lower leaves are removed, and the upper ones are shortened in two. In this case, it will be necessary to treat the cuttings with growth stimulants and cover the plantings in the shkolka with a film to preserve moisture. The volume of care work will also increase: spraying, watering, airing.
Features of landing and subtleties of care
Despite the fact that forsythia can be planted both in autumn and in spring, it is preferable to hold this event in autumn (at the beginning of leaf fall), since in spring you simply can’t make it before the start of sap flow.
Forsythia wakes up from winter dormancy early, and in early spring, even without ornamental plants, there is enough trouble. If you still need to plant in the spring, then use better seedlings with a closed root system. They do not tolerate transplantation so painfully and adapt faster.
Landing pits are prepared with a length and width of 60 cm, their depth should be about 70 cm for the installation of a drainage layer of crushed stone or broken brick at the bottom. The soil mixture for filling the pit consists of humus, rotted leaves, garden soil and sand. The addition of lime, wood ash or chalk is welcome. Autumn plantings in the first year, regardless of the region and variety of forsythia, it is necessary to cover for the winter. The trunk circle is mulched with dry leaves, and the aerial part is protected with covering material.
Forsythia does not require close attention to itself and even feels better when it is forgotten. In the spring, you can make lower doses of complex fertilizer and organic matter (in the form of mulch from compost or humus). In autumn, on poor soils, the application of phosphorus-potassium fertilizers is recommended. Reasonable top dressing universal complex fertilizers improve flowering, but an excess of nutrition reduces winter hardiness and adversely affects decorativeness.
IN natural environment habitat forsythia conquers the rocky slopes of the mountains, so it calmly tolerates the drying of the soil. An excess of moisture affects its condition much worse. In summer, it is watered only during a period of prolonged drought, but not abundantly and no more than once a week. At the same time, it is necessary to loosen the upper layer to restore the air chambers.
An important spring event is phytosanitary pruning of bushes, during which frozen, dry and broken shoots are removed. Old bushes can be rejuvenated by cutting off up to half of the entire length of the shoot. Formative pruning is carried out after flowering, giving the bush the shape of a ball or making out a smooth hedge.
When pruning, do not touch the young growth, as flower buds are laid on it for the new season. Old lignified shoots are removed, and young ones are only slightly shortened to stimulate branching. Forsythia grows quickly and tolerates pruning well, but you should not overdo it with it, so as not to get runaway growth of shoots with poor flowering.
Forsythia in the Moscow region correct selection varieties survive winters well with minimal shelter (mulching tree trunks with dry leaves and spruce branches). Even in the case of a harsh winter with little snow, only the young growth will die, but the bush itself will quickly recover. But for the Urals and Siberia, full shelter is recommended. In young plants, the shoots are pressed to the ground and covered with spruce branches or agrofiber. Winding with appropriate covering material will also help protect the crown.
Forsythia in the garden: where and with whom to plant
Forsythia blooms in April (for the Moscow region and the middle zone) or May (for the Urals and Siberia). The duration of flowering is up to 3 weeks, and then light or dark green leaves come to replace the yellow bells. The shrub does not lose its decorative effect even in autumn, when the leaves turn purple or golden.
In European gardens, forsythia is very popular in landscape design, and in Russia it is becoming more common. It is excellent for creating hedges, as it has a fast growth and tolerates pruning.
It also goes well with evergreen conifers, a particularly bright picture will be during the flowering period.
Single plantings, with a spherical crown formation against the backdrop of a well-groomed green lawn, will give the garden a special grace.
Forsythia goes well with spirea and euonymus. Varieties of hanging (drooping) forsythia are used for trellis growing along the walls of houses or for decorating a gazebo.
In late autumn, finishing the season in the garden, cut off a few young forsythia shoots, wrap them in foil and put them in a cool place (cellar, loggia or refrigerator). In winter, it is enough to lower the shoots into water with diluted honey, and in a few days the room will be filled with the bright yellow color of the blooming forsythia.
Description of species and popular varieties
The most versatile and common species is forsythia intermediate. It has good winter hardiness and is very decorative. However, other varieties deserve attention.
- Forsythia ovoid - the most winter-hardy and drought-resistant species with the earliest flowering of medium duration. The shrub reaches a height of no more than 2 meters, the flowers are small, the crown is sprawling. Varieties of this species are very decorative in autumn, when the leaves turn purple.
Tetragold - meter shrub with dark yellow flowers.
Spring Glory is a real giant in its group (height up to 3 meters) with large flowers and powerful shoots. In autumn, the bush is full of pale yellow and purple leaves.
- Forsythia hybrid (intermediate) , or the middle one is distinguished by a powerful tall bush up to 3 meters and a dark green color large leaves. Bright yellow flowers clustered in simple inflorescences several pieces.
Spectabilis is one of the most ornamental varieties. Reaches a height of more than two meters and forms a wide crown with falling shoots. Flowering later, flowers are large (more than 4 cm in diameter). In autumn, the bush turns yellow and purple.
Linwood - medium-sized shrub (2 - 3 meters) with golden flowers. In autumn, the leaves acquire a bright decorative color.
Minigold is a dwarf slow growing variety with a compact crown and small flowers.
Goldzauber is a popular variety with golden flowers, often grown in Siberia and the Urals.
- Forsythia hanging (drooping) characterized by a spreading crown and drooping branches covered with olive-colored bark, which, in combination with yellow, looks very impressive.
Forsythia Fortune produces flowers with an orange tint. In the first years of life, the bush forms upright shoots, and after 2-3 years long drooping branches appear. Has abundant flowering.
Forsythia motley is distinguished by the unusual color of sword-shaped leaves: a dark green middle and a lighter yellowish border.
Forsythia Siebold is a winter-hardy undersized variety for Central Russia, which still requires shelter (shoots are removed from the trellis and covered with leaves or spruce branches).
- Forsythia european - a more heat-loving species, which, with careful shelter, can also winter in the Moscow region. A bush 2 meters high is covered with large lemon flowers. The leaves are oblong, light green.
- Forsythia dark green (greenest) - tall, strongly leafy shrub. The flowers have a greenish tint, the bark of the shoots is dark green. The species is drought-resistant, but has low winter hardiness, therefore it is grown only in regions with a mild climate.
Separately, I would like to note the low-growing, with drooping branches hybrid variety Cumson. It differs in its leaves with a milky network of veins. Its flowers are pale yellow. When grown in the Moscow region, flower buds can freeze out, so shelter is required.
Forsythia will decorate any garden and will not cause trouble with the right choice of variety. It quickly gains strength and pleases with consistently abundant early flowering in a season that is scarce in colors.
Forsythia (Forsythia) is also known as forsythia or forsythia. A bush or small tree from the Olive family blooms very beautifully. It is grown in compositions with conifers, decorative leafy and flowering crops.
Shrub with yellow flowers in landscape design
IN landscape design home gardens, squares and parks, only six types of forsythia are used, including European with bright, yellow flowers, similar to a small bell, which are singly located in the leaf axils. This type differs in winter hardiness and durability. When creating rock gardens or rockeries, radically cut bushes with correct form crowns act as a central element.
Bushes with extraordinary flowering have great potential for use in modern landscape decor. Even a simple single landing becomes a real decoration of any site, not only with flat surface but also uneven slopes. Regular plant formation allows you to create original hedges. The bright golden foliage and flowers look especially beautiful against the green background of conifers and near traditional flower beds. Culture is decorative, not only in spring summer period but also in autumn.
How to care for forsythia (video)
Description of species and varieties of forsythia
Regardless of the variety, all species are represented by plants with a height of the aerial part up to three meters and a width of no more than a couple of meters. The bark is rough and greyish-brown. The foliage is simple, occasionally complex trifoliate, without stipules, oval in shape, with numerous serrations. The leaf arrangement is opposite. The flowers are bell-shaped, bright yellow.
Forsythia hanging down
F. suspensa Vahl. - a shrub plant no more than three meters high, has a wide and fairly spreading crown, represented by thin drooping branches of an arcuate-curved shape. The flowers are golden yellow, no more than 25 mm in diameter, collected in bunch-shaped inflorescences on olive or reddish-brown shoots. The foliage is trifoliate and simple. Looks great on trellises used for homogeneous groups, decorating slopes and in decorative single plantings.
F.ovata Nakai is the most winter-hardy representative of this genus, is of short stature. The height of the above-ground part of the deciduous shrub, as a rule, does not exceed two meters. The culture has spreading, grayish-yellow branches. Foliage of medium length, with a sharp sharpening, bright green coloring. Bright yellow flower. Flowering early, solitary. Characterized by the average duration of flowering. IN autumn period the leaves take on a very decorative dark purple coloration with an orange tint.
Forsythia greening
F.viridissima in natural conditions grows in China. Feature are very numerous unusual flowers with a greenish tint. The average flower diameter does not exceed 40 mm.
Forsythia drooping
Forsythia drooping or hanging is a tree-like shrub, the aerial part of which reaches three meters. Characterized by high rates of decorativeness, and in the autumn, the green foliage acquires a very original yellow or purple color, which is caused by varietal characteristics.
An upright shrub type, a highly decorative plant popular with amateur flower growers, which has a very sprawling and beautiful crown. The height of the above-ground part does not exceed three meters. The species belongs to the category of rather cold-resistant and is represented popular varieties Golden Time, Fiesta, Fensiflora And Weatheriks.
Forsythia korean
F.koreana - highly decorative, early flowering, deciduous shrub plant, forming a spreading, slightly drooping crown. long time maintains its external attractiveness, as well as characterized by undemanding to soil and climatic conditions.
Forsythia european
F. europaea belongs to the category of the most winter-hardy ornamental garden plants. Under natural conditions, it grows on open slopes. The above-ground part differs in height no more than two meters, with upright branches. Flowers of a single type, with a weak aroma, golden-yellow coloration, sessile type, with a diameter of not more than 35 mm.
F.Intermedia Minigold is a miniature variety from the Olive family and is distinguished by its aerial part no more than a meter high. In April, a large number of golden flowers appear on the plant, after which green foliage is formed. juicy color with a pronounced yellow stripe.
Forsythia Spectabilis
F.spestabilis with a height of the aerial part of not more than a meter. It is characterized by falling branches, green foliage, which in autumn becomes bright yellow or purple, flowers are dark yellow. Flowering lasts less than a month and occurs in the last decade of April.
Forsythia Goldraush
F.intermedia Goldrausch - represented by a sprawling shrub plant, with fairly large yellow flowers. Flowering occurs in the spring and is not too long.
Forsythia Cumson
F.koreana Kumson - low shrub deciduous ornamental plant with beautiful drooping and spreading branches. Green colored foliage, with a very characteristic bright creamy white venation. The flowers are pale yellow, no more than 25-30 mm in diameter.
Forsythia Linwood Gold
F.intermedia Lynwood with a crown diameter of an adult plant within 2.5 m and a height of the aerial part of not more than three meters. This rather large and dense shrub has slightly drooping branches and large, jagged green leaves, which turn yellow or purple in autumn. Large flowers, very numerous, up to 35 mm in diameter.
This is a very valuable and highly decorative variety, which is in great demand among domestic amateur flower growers. It is very large and beautiful flowers rich golden yellow color. The flowering of a two-meter bush continues for three weeks and begins in mid-April.
Terms and rules for planting and transplanting forsythia
Preference should be given to sunny or partially shaded areas. decorative culture not demanding on the soil, but prefers fertile and neutral soil. Does not tolerate prolonged drought. It is recommended to plant seedlings in early spring or autumn, but in order for wintering to be successful, a plant planted in autumn must be cut and covered for the winter.
The soil on the site before planting needs to be carried out pre-treatment. The soil should be thoroughly dug up, freed from weeds and loosened very well. At the bottom of the planting grooves prepared in advance, you need to fall asleep drainage layer, represented by crushed stone of a fine fraction. From above it is required to fill up the nutritious fertile soil.
Forsythia propagation methods
There are several ways to propagate a decorative perennial, but cuttings are most commonly used. Propagation by layering and cuttings allows you to get a beautifully flowering and very decorative plant in a short time. Lignified forsythia cuttings are harvested at the end of October, after which they are stored until spring in moistened sand.
It is necessary to harvest green cuttings after the end of flowering, from the end of May to the beginning of June. The optimal length of the cuttings is 20 cm. The cuttings should be planted in pre-moistened and loosened soil, represented by a mixture of fertile soil and sand. It is necessary to deepen the seedlings by about 50 mm into the ground, placing them at a slight slope.
Forsythia cuttings (video)
Forsythia outdoor care
Caring for a garden ornamental perennial is not difficult, and the main conditions for maintaining external attractiveness are watering and fertilizing the plant, regular aeration of the soil and proper pruning.
Fertilizing, watering and aerating the soil
Many varieties and species are drought-resistant, so any waterlogging of the soil can be detrimental to the culture. In the rainy season, irrigation measures should be abandoned. During the dry season, the perennial should be watered once a month, spending one and a half winds on each plant. During the growing season, moisture in the near-stem circles should be minimal.. A good result gives periodic sprinkling.
After irrigation, the soil is loosened. It is also very important to make regular top dressing. In the early spring, just before flowering, it is necessary to feed the decorative perennial with complex fertilizers at the rate of 60-80g/m2.
Bush pruning technology
Deciduous shrubs need to ensure regular pruning, in the absence of which the plant practically does not bloom, quickly stretches and can completely lose its external attractiveness. Pruning should be done immediately after flowering. Complete removal all old or too long branches are subject. Pruning is done with a clean and sharp pruner.
Care after flowering
After flowering, the plant needs quality care. Very good result gives top dressing of the plant with complex fertilizers at the rate of 60-80g / m 2. To improve frost resistance, it is recommended to fertilize at the very end of summer standard phosphorus-potassium mixtures.
Shrub shelter for the winter
Even fairly frost-resistant varieties and species must be insulated in the fall before a significant cold snap sets in. For this purpose, it is recommended to use dry foliage or needles. Before autumn warming, the branches of the shrub should be pressed to the soil and only then covered.
Protection against diseases and pests
Removing the shelter and caring for the plant in early spring
In the early spring, the shelter from the aerial part of the deciduous perennial must be removed, the branches unfastened, and the dry foliage removed from the trunk. After that, depending on the condition of the soil, fertilizing with nitrogen-containing fertilizers and careful watering is performed.
Planting and caring for Forsythia in the Moscow region and Siberia
Perennial care in the middle zone of our country, as well as in Siberia and the Urals, does not have any special differences. It is advisable to pay more attention to the use of shelter and pruning of a deciduous plant in preparation for wintering.
How to plant forsythia (video)
Popularity garden culture due to sufficient frost resistance, but in very severe winter periods freezing of shoots and flower buds is possible, therefore, in order to get full flowering, you will need to bend down the shoots for the winter. The culture is able to very easily recover after pruning and freezing, therefore it is widely used in landscape design in our country.
Which, before the appearance of leaves, is densely dotted yellow flowers. Although the branches are still bare, flowering is already in full swing. It blooms already in March-April, which means that in the spring it will be able to decorate any place in or near the house!
Description
Forsythia flowers are golden yellow, their diameter is 2.5 cm. They are collected in few-flowered inflorescences. The shrub has fruits - elongated boxes that crack. The plant loves light, but it is not demanding on the soil.
Note! There are about a dozen species in the genus of shrubs, most of them come from China, Korea, and Japan. One European forsythia is from the Balkans.
Characteristics:
- The height of the plant is 3-4 meters, it reaches a width of 2 meters.
- Leaves are oval, opposite. Their length reaches 15 cm.
- The flowers are yellow, shaped like bells.
- Flowering lasts about 3 weeks, sometimes longer.
- The plant is photophilous, but grows in the shade.
- The soil for growth needs calcareous.
It is believed that forsythia is a symbol of spring, because it blooms when there is still snow in places. Her bright flowers cheer up and with all their appearance they say that spring has come. Therefore, it is often decorated with squares and parks in cities. Early flowering distinguishes the shrub from all others.
Interesting! In the autumn, its leaves become the key decoration of forsythia, because they whimsically change color to. It seems that the bush is burning with a bright motley flame.
Forsythia varieties
There are not so many varieties of forsythia, moreover, not all of them can be grown in our latitudes. The first step is the division into species, which are divided into different varieties.
drooping
This is one of the most popular representatives of this plant. Its height is up to 3 meters, it begins to bloom at 5-6 years. The trunk of the bush is straight, there are arched shoots in the shape of a tetrahedron.
Leaves are trifoliate on growth shoots, ovate on old branches. Bunches of flowers are located throughout the shoot. This view will delight lovers, because it offers excellent decorative varieties:
- Variegata - its flowers and leaves are yellow, which creates an excellent effect on the background of bright greenery.
- Artokaulis - leaves and shoots are dark purple.
- Fortuna - narrow trifoliate leaves, thick drooping shoots, dark yellow flowers.
- Siebold is a low bush, its shoots creep, the flowers are dark yellow, the leaves are bent.
Intermediate
Its height also reaches 3 meters. The shrub is hybrid, it begins to bloom in 3 years. Shoots are straight, hanging down a little. Flowers are collected in bunches of 3 pieces, sometimes 6. There are many of them on the shoots, the flowering period is 20 days. This species is winter hardy, drought tolerant and rapid growth. Looks great like hedge element. Based on it, the following varieties were bred:
- Beatrix farrand - height up to 4 meters, bright yellow flowers, blooms in May.
- Densiflora - a height of only 1.5 meters, but with a luxurious crown diameter of 1.3 m. The branches are sprawling, flowers are densely arranged along them, and also blooms in May. For the winter, this variety is covered.
- Lynwood - height 2-3 m, many flowers, their diameter is 3.5 cm. The leaves are green in summer, in autumn - from yellow to purple.
- Spectabilis - 1 m high and 1.2 m in diameter. The shoots fall neatly. The size of each flower is up to 4.5 cm in diameter. This variety is deservedly considered one of the most beautiful.
- Melissa and the weekend are new varieties that will please with their flowering immediately after the snow melts.
ovoid
The height of the bush is not more than 2 meters, it will please with flowering 4-5 years after planting. Branches spreading ascending. Flowering occurs in April-May, lasts 20 days. It grows quickly, does not require too moist soil and frost protection in winter. Among the varieties are:
- Goldsauber is one of the most valuable varieties, very popular among landscape designers. Flowers are large golden yellow. Easily tolerates frost.
- Dresden forfrüling - the bush is distinguished by its density, its height is 2 meters. Flowers are light yellow.
- Spring glory - height, crown diameter - 3 meters. There are many peduncles, their size is up to 3.5 cm, bright yellow.
Advice! Approximately at the same time as forsythia blooms. By planting them side by side, you can get an unforgettable visual effect - bright yellow forsythia flowers combined with purple crocus blooms.
Forsythia: photo and description of the landing process
Planting forsythia is a simple task, as the plant is unpretentious, but at the same time it gives an excellent decorative effect. Plant it in a place that is protected from the wind. She loves the sun, but she will feel no worse in partial shade. For planting several bushes, it is important to keep a distance between them of at least 1.5-2 meters. How much space to leave exactly depends on the particular variety.
It should be planted, as well as transplanted, in the fall, until frost has set in. Dig a hole 50 x 50 or 70 x 50 cm in size. At the bottom, drainage from crushed stone or brick is required with a layer of about 15 cm. Next, a layer of sand by 8 cm. After that, the pit must be filled with earth with humus and sand. In order for all this to fit and the roots to be comfortable, the depth can be at least 60 cm.
Important! If the soil is acidic, you need to add 0.3 kg of slaked lime or 200 g of ash to it.
Care
It consists of the following steps:
- Watering - if there is enough rainfall, then forsythia does not need additional watering. Dryness is better for her than excess moisture.
- After watering, the soil around the shrub needs to be fluffed.
- Top dressing consists in laying out earlier in the spring around the plant, but not at the very trunk, rotted manure. In April, mineral fertilizer can be applied. Additional feeding is needed after flowering.
- Be sure to remove weeds.
- Pruning. Bye bush does not bloom, young shoots are not pruned. But if the plant froze in winter, then until the buds have blossomed, you need to remove the affected shoots. With an adult plant, they do this: dry and old branches are cut every autumn. With pruning, you need to act carefully, because if you do it too intensively, there will be no flowering, but the bush will become wide.
- In order for the bush not to freeze, it is advisable to prepare it for winter by covering the roots with dry leaves with a layer of 10 cm. If the forsythia is young, then wrap the entire bush. While the shoots of the plant are flexible, they need to be tilted to the ground and pinned, covered. The main thing is that the snow falls before severe frosts hit, in which case the bush will not freeze.
- If the forsythia is planted in the fall, then it is absolutely necessary that the flower buds do not rot during the thaw period.
reproduction
It is not difficult to propagate a bush, but it is important to choose suitable variety for your climate zone. The photo shows forsythia with the names of varieties, but you should choose not only by appearance, otherwise the plant may disappoint without giving such a desired effect. Breeding options:
- Seeds. This option is only suitable for species forsythia. Sowing is carried out in the fall after the collection of those same seeds or in the spring. IN last case keep harvested seeds it is necessary at a temperature of + 2-5 ⁰С. The planting box is filled with fertile soil: 2 parts of leafy soil or humus and 1 part of sand. Seeds are sown and covered with foil until germination. Forsythia should be dived from the box into separate containers after 1 year, and after 3-4 years it can be planted in a permanent place. In this case, flowering will occur in 4-6 years.
- Vegetatively. The most effective option is cuttings with green live bait. The bushes obtained in this way will bloom in 2-3 years. Cuttings should be cut in July. After that, stick them into the ground and cover with foil. It is important to provide a temperature of + 22-25 ⁰С and high humidity - for this, spray with water 4-5 times a day.
Note! You can also propagate the shrub by dividing the bush, there will not be much difference in the timing of flowering.
