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Shrubs

Forsythia viridissima

Chinese golden bell tree

An erect, deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub up to 2.m high, with upright shoots which remain green in the second year, and lance-shaped leaves. The yellow flowers are 3cm across and produced singly or occasionally in twos or threes but usually later than other forsythia in April

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Oleaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous or Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Forsythia are deciduous shrubs with simple, occasionally lobed, leaves and short tubular yellow flowers with 4 spreading lobes, borne profusely before the leaves in spring
Name status: Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by semi-hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Banks and slopes
Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 2

Pests

May be susceptible to birds eating the flower buds

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus and forsythia gall

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