Forsythia on April 10th one month after blooming
Forsythia is both revered and despised, often for the same reason. It is everywhere because it’s easy to grow. Those who love it, welcome it’s blooms as a first sign of Spring. Its staying power this year certainly reflects the long, cool Spring we’ve had in the Mount Vernon area. Forsythia’s perky yellow blossoms usually arrive in mid-March and have faded within a week or two. Temperatures this year kept the shrubs in fresh color for a month or more.
Forsythia thrive so well here that you might think they were native to the mid-atlantic area but the first forsythia likely did not arrive in the U.S. until the early 1900s. Dutch and English botanists brought the forsythia back from eastern Asia in the mid 1770s. The Genus Forsythia is named for Scottish botanist William Forsyth (1737– July 25 1804), a founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society and Head Gardener at Kensington Gardens. Forsythia became popular in the U.S. because it provides early color, earning it the nickname “Easter Tree.”
Long branch of faded forsythia
Forsythia require very little care but, its detractors will quickly tell you, when left unchecked they can grow out of control. Now that the party’s over, it’s time to do some pruning. Since forsythia set their buds in autumn, late pruning will sacrifice next year’s flowers. The best way to prune a forsythia is from the bottom. The branches flower best with 2-3 years of growth on them, so avoid the temptation to just trim back the branches. Make it an all or nothing proposition. Cut older, dead or long branches level with the ground. This will also open up space in the middle of the shrub. If drastic measures are necessary, you can cut your forsythia down to the ground. Don’t worry, it will come back, but it may not flower for a few years. If you don’t mind the unkempt arcing branches, feel free to skip pruning for a year or two and enjoy the show.