Intermediate forsythia(Forsythia x intermedia) is a popular and popular ornamental shrub, used for planting urban greenery and home gardens. It is delightful mainly in spring, when its yellow flowers develop on the shoots before the leaves appear. See whatintermediate forsythia cultivation looks likein the garden, find out when is the bestplanting date for forsythiaand find out about the most beautifulintermediate forsythiaand choose at least one for your garden!
Intermediate forsythia blooms before leaves appear in spring
Intermediate forsythia - varieties
The popularity of intermediate forsythia as an ornamental shrub contributed to the breeding of many of its varieties. Particularvarieties of intermediate forsythiadiffer from each other in the shade of flower color, the strength of growth and the shape of the bush, as well as the color of the leaves. Thesemost attractive varieties of intermediate forsythiaare:
Intermediate forsythia Goldzauber- shrubs reach a height of 2-3 m. Blooms profusely with dark yellow flowers with wide petals. The flowers of this variety are particularly resistant to spring frosts. This variety is suitable for creating formed or loose hedges. Leaves turn purple in autumn.
Golden Times forsythia- shrubs grow up to 2 m in height. The shoots are arched, which gives the shrub a nice shape. Bell-shaped flowers are rarely located on two-year-old shoots. Compared to other varieties, it does not bloom profusely.Its decorative qualities are intense green leaves with a yellow border. The leaves are very sensitive to sunlight, so this forsythia variety should be planted in semi-shaded areas.
Intermediate Forsythia Liliane- this is a soaring variety, the bushes reach 2 m in height. The flowers in the bud are long and pointed, and when unfolded - medium-sized, lemon yellow. It blooms profusely on two-year-old shoots, and on the shoots of one-year-old flowers there is much less.
Intermediate forsythia Densiflora- a vigorous variety with shrubs reaching a height of 3 m. The branches are slightly hanging. The flowers are pale yellow, clustered in a few pieces, reaching a diameter of 3 cm. Flower petals are folded backwards. During flowering, the branches are entirely picturesquely covered with flowers.
Intermediate forsythia Beatrix Farrand- the shoots of this variety are erect. The bushes reach a height of 2 m. The flowers are large (4-5 cm), canary yellow, placed singly. The leaves reach a length of 8-10 cm, dark green, turning golden yellow in winter.
A variety of forsythia with slender stems
Intermediate forsythia Karl Sax- the height of the bushes does not exceed 2.5 m. In spring, the shoots are covered with large orange-yellow flowers that remain on the shrub for 3 weeks. At the end of flowering, young shoots and leaves develop between the flowers. Leaves turn red in autumn.
Intermediate forsythia Flojor- shrubs are only 1.5 m high and have a compact habit. The flowers are large, dark yellow, overgrowing profusely on the branches. The leaves are dark green with clearly marked bright veins. It is an early-flowering (March) variety.
Intermediate forsythia Mindor- the shrubs have a compact, spherical shape. It blooms yellow with tiny flowers. Leaves turn purple in autumn.
Intermediate Forsythia Primulina- shrubs grow up to 2 m high, bloom with light yellow flowers with delicate, narrow petals. The petals are characteristically open and have curled edges, reaching 3 cm in length. Most flowers are found at the base of the shoots.
Intermediate Forsythia Spectabilis- 3 m tall shrubs. Side shoots hang down, which gives the plant a very decorative appearance. The flowers are dark yellow and numerous, they appear only at the turn of April and May. Shrubs are suitable for forming.
Intermediate forsythia Maluch- this is a Polish, dwarf type of forsythia. The shrubs have a compact, spherical shape and grow up to 1 m in height. Due to its small size, it is perfect for small gardens. The flowers and leaves are tiny. It blooms intensely yellow and the leaves evenly cover the entire length of the twigs.
Intermediate forsythia - planting
The best time to plant forsythiais in early spring (March), before flowers develop, or late summer (August-September), before flower buds begin to form.
Forsythia is best plantedin sunny or semi-shaded places (if required by the variety), humid and sheltered from the wind.In the place we have chosen forto plant the forsythia bush , we dig a hole twice the diameter of the production pot. Gently remove the bush from the pot, turning the plant upside down. If the root ball is very dense, then you can gently loosen it with your fingers. Use pruning shears to trim all broken or dry twigs. Place the root ball in the hole and cover it with soil. We tread the ground around the bush. At the endwater the newly planted forsythia bushesgenerously.
Nicely formed forsythia bush
Intermediate forsythia - cultivation
Intermediate forsythiais an ornamental shrub that is very easy to grow. It prefers fertile soils with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. However, it grows well in any soil. Due to the shallow root system, the substrate in the place of forsythia cultivation must not be too dry. On sandy soils, forsythia bushes will require mulching with bark and irrigation in hot summers.When dried in dry soil, the leaves and young sprigs of forsythia wither.
Forsythia does not require heavy fertilization. If planted in fertile soil,fertilization of forsythiais enough to repeat every 3 years. In less fertile soils, from spring to autumn, we can feed it with universal fertilizers for deciduous shrubs. It is also enough to sprinkle the bush with a layer of compost in the spring.
Intermediate forsythia is frost-resistant , thanks to which it tolerates winters throughout Poland very well. Its additional advantage is resistance to urban air pollution, which is why it is used to fill green areas in cities.
Forsythia requires annual pruningwhich ensures abundant flowering every spring. After pruning, the branches grow back very quickly.
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
