Introduction

The Forsythia in flower.
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Forsythia bushes, from the genus Forsythia, are widely used in parks and gardens and are a popular early spring flower. They are known for their bright yellow buds that bloom in the early spring before their green leaves have even appeared. The Forsythia has several species including the most common type Forsythia suspensa and Forsythia viridissma. The Forsythia bush is native to China and was named after William Forsyth who was the royal head gardener and one of the founders of the Royal Horticultural Society. Forsythia was first introduced to Europe by Robert Fortune who smuggled it out of China dressed as a Chinese peasant. In the same trip, Fortune also smuggled out the knowledge of how to grow tea and brought it to India, who was at that time a colony of the British. The weeping Forsythia bush is included on the list of the 50 fundamental herbs in Chinese herbology. It was called lian qiao, which was a combination of ground unripe yellow fruits and ground seeds. If taken internally it was used to cure chills, fevers, and headaches. However it could also be used externally for burns, infections, and rashes. This is caused by anti-inflammatory compounds in the seeds.

Forsythia is an easy way to brighten up your garden or yard in the early spring when most plants have not flowered. There is very minimal work required when taking care of forsythia. They grow best in USDA zones 4-9 and require full sunlight to minimal shade. Forsythia are fairly tolerant to most growing conditions, however they grow best in well drained soils with lots of organic matter. Pruning should occur annually, to keep the bush from being over grown, along with feeding of an all-purpose (10-10-10) fertilizer which should be applied mid-February through mid-May.  Overall, the forsythia is a beautiful pop of color to any home or park.

Methods

There are several ways that you can propagate forsythia plants. One is through taking cuttings. This is the most common form of forsythia propagation because of how easy it is and you can get a large number of plants at one time. This type of propagation is liked by most homeowners.

Another method that is widely used and easier to do is layering. Layering is

Layering Technique
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when you take a long stem from the forsythia and wound the stem about 10 inches. Then you place the branch in a pot with potting soil so that the wounded part is covered with soil. Once the plant starts to root you cut the branch that is connecting the new plant from its parent plant. In this method it is important to keep the soil moist to encourage rooting. Layering is not widely used because it can only happen in a short period of time and it is a lot more time consuming than taking cuttings.

You can also propagate forsythia from seeds. This is the least popular way of forsythia propagation because of the extremely slow process. However, it is inexpensive and gardeners get the sense of accomplishment that they wouldn’t normally get from other forms of propagation. Gardeners would want to start seeds inside so that they can start germinating at any time of the year. With a container filled with moistened potting soil, place a couple seeds on top of the soil and cover them with one-quarter inch of additional soil. Place the container inside a plastic bag with plastic wrap covering the top of the pot, and place it in a warm location not in direct sunlight. Once the seeds start to germinate uncover the container and place in a sunny area. Make sure to keep the soil moist during this entire process.

Step-by-Step Cutting Process

Forsythia cuttings in growing medium.
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1. Take forsythia cuttings right when the plant is coming into leaf (June or July). Cut 4-6 inches of a new stem with clippers that have been sanitized with a one-part bleach to nine-parts water solution. Make sure to clean the clippers between every cutting to avoid the spread of diseases.
2. If you cannot transfer cuttings into medium right away, wrap the cut ends in moistened paper towel and keep them in a cool, dark area. Try not to keep them for more than 24 hours in this state.
3. The potting medium should be a 50:50 mixture of perlite and eat moss that is moistened. After pinching off 2-3 inches of bottom leaves, place the leafless end into a rooting hormone and tap the stem to release any excess hormone. You can use either liquid or powdered hormone, but you can control the concentration of the hormone when it is in liquid state. Then place the cutting into the rooting medium with the leafless end in the soil.
4. After all cuttings are in the potting medium, cover the stems with plastic wrap or a clear cover that will keep a consistent moisture. It is extremely important that the stems remain in moist soil to induce rooting. The cuttings should then be placed into a warm or slightly cool location inside with lots of indirect sunlight. Make sure to keep the rooting stems out of direct sunlight.
5. While the forsythia are rooting make sure to keep a consistent moisture level. Rooting should take up to 4-6 weeks if conditions are optimal. After the stems have rooted, transfer them gently into pots with potting soil and move them into and outside sheltered area that is safe from the wind and out of direct sunlight.
6. Keep monitoring the plants until there is signs of new root development and growth.

Conclusion

When properly managed and taken care of, the forsythia can be one of the brightest and most beautiful plants added to any scenery. They have had an interesting history and have many medicinal uses. There are also many ways that forsythia can be propagated and each way has its own pros and cons. Propagation by cuttings, however, is by far the most widely used propagation technique used in home gardeners. This is because of how easy it is to perform and you can propagate multiple plants at one time.

Author: Mary Lemmon

Date: Feb. 26, 2015

Sources

Green, Deane. “Forsythia.” Eat The Weeds and Other Things Too RSS. Deane Green LLC, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

“How to Grow and Care for a Golden BellsForsythia Plant.” Forsythias, How to Grow and Care for Golden Bells Forsythia Plants. The Garden Helper, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.

Rhoades, Heather. “Forsythia Shrub Care – How To Care For Your Forsythia Plant.” Gardening Know How. Gardening Know How, n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2015.