Golden Bells Forsythia viridissima
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Golden Bells:
- Phonetic Spelling
- for-SYE-thee-uh vi-ri-DIS-si-mah
- Description
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Greenstem forsythia is a deciduous, perennial shrub in the olive family (Oleaceae) that is native to Asia. The specific epithet means "very green.”
Greenstem forsythia is easy to grow and does best in loose, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade, although plants in full sun will produce more flowers earlier in the spring. Greenstem forsythia is a forgiving plant and tolerates average to poor garden soils, urban conditions, and drought.
It is widely used for its yellow flowers in early spring which provide needed relief from winter. It will grow to 10 feet tall and wide with arching stems. The flowers are produced on the long, arching, stems before the plants leaf out and the stems and flowers are often cut and brought indoors.
Use in a shrub border, as an accent or foundation plantings in Asian, winter, cutting or cottage gardens.
Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No serious diseases or insect pests.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Border Gem'
Dwarf, spreading, grows to 1 foot high and useful as ground cover.
'Bronxensis'
Low, spreading, flat topped cultivar. Matures to 1 foot high and 3 feet wide. - 'Border Gem'
- 'Border Gem', 'Bronxensis'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Border Gem'
Dwarf, spreading, grows to 1 foot high and useful as ground cover.
'Bronxensis'
Low, spreading, flat topped cultivar. Matures to 1 foot high and 3 feet wide. - 'Border Gem'
- 'Border Gem', 'Bronxensis'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Forsythia
- Species:
- viridissima
- Family:
- Oleaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Woody
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Layering
- Stem Cutting
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- South China and South Korea
- Distribution:
- Canada, Eastern United States south to North Carolina and west to Tennessee.
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Drought tolerant.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Shrub
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Arching
- Dense
- Erect
- Multi-stemmed
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Alkaline (>8.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is a dry capsule, containing several winged seeds.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Good Cut
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Trumpet
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Early spring 4-lobed greenish-yellow flowers up to 1 inch wide appear before foliage in February or March and last through April or May. Flowers are deeply four-lobed with petals joined only at the base. These become pendent in rainy weather shielding the reproductive parts.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- Opposite, simple, medium to dark green leaves 4 to 6 inches long and tapers at both ends with teeth above the middle. Purple tinged in fall.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Bark Description:
- Rough grey-brown bark
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Cross Section:
- Square
- Stem Lenticels:
- Conspicuous
- Pith (Split Longitudinally):
- Coninuous diphragmed
- Stem Description:
- Square stems with prominent lenticels. Pith lamellate throughout, including nodes.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Meadow
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Cottage Garden
- Cutting Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Barrier
- Border
- Foundation Planting
- Hedge
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Black Walnut
- Compaction
- Deer
- Drought
- Poor Soil
- Salt
- Urban Conditions
