White forsythia

White forsythia: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Loose shrub 1–1.5 m tall and wide, with thin, arching branches; against a wall it can be trained higher.

Leaves

Oval, dull green and opposite, arranged in two rows along the twigs.

Flower

Star-shaped, four-lobed flowers of about 1 cm in clusters along last year’s stems, in February–March.

Colour

White, sometimes with a pink flush, opening from dark purple buds.

Scent

Sweet, with a hint of almond; easiest to smell on a mild, sunny day.

Fruit

Round, flat, winged fruits; not very noticeable in our gardens.

Flowering: February–April · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: April

Why grow it?

• Flowers as early as February–March, when there is little else to enjoy in the garden.
• Sweetly scented flowers: plant it by a path or a door.
• Early flowers for bees and bumblebees that fly in mild weather.
• The stems are lovely to cut in bud and open indoors in a vase.
• Stays compact enough for a small garden or a spot against a wall.

White forsythia: where does it grow best?

• Sun to light partial shade; the more summer sun, the more flower buds.
• A sheltered spot against a south- or west-facing wall protects the early flowers from night frost.
• Free-draining sandy, loamy or clay soil; acid to chalky is fine.
• Normal moisture, without waterlogging in winter.
• Allow 1.5 m of space; against a wall, 1 m width is enough.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -20 °C)

Goes well with

• Snowdrop: Flowers in the same weeks at the foot of the shrub.
• Lenten rose: White, pink or purple flowers in late winter, also happy in light shade.
• Crocus: Purple crocuses contrast with the white flowers.
• Italian clematis: Climbs through the shrub in summer and flowers when the white forsythia is just green leaves.
• Witch hazel: Another fragrant winter-flowerer, with yellow or orange flowers.

White forsythia: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or October–November.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in some compost.
3. Set the shrub at the same depth as in the pot and firm the soil well.
4. Keep 1.5 m from other shrubs; against a wall, plant 30–40 cm from its base.
5. Water in with a full can, even if it is raining.
6. Mulch with leaf mould or wood chips.

Care

Watering

Weekly in dry spells in the first year. Against a wall the soil often stays dry: water there in long droughts later on too.

Feeding

In April, after flowering and pruning, some compost or organic fertiliser.

Mulching

A layer of leaf mould in spring keeps the soil moist.

Training

Against a wall, tie the branches to wires or a trellis to form a fan.

Frost protection

If hard night frost threatens during flowering, cover the shrub with fleece at night.

Tip: In January, cut a few stems in bud and put them in a vase of water indoors: after a few days they open and scent the room.

White forsythia: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: Straight after flowering, in April. It flowers on last year’s wood.

How:

• Cut flowered stems back to a strong young shoot or bud.
• Each year, remove one or two of the oldest stems at the base to keep the shrub young.
• Remove dead, weak and crossing branches.
• Against a wall: cut back stems growing away from the wall and tie in the rest.

Caution: Do not prune in summer, autumn or winter: you would cut off next spring’s flower buds.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Layering

Stems that touch the ground root easily. In summer, bend a low stem to the ground, pin it down and sever it after a year.

Softwood cuttings

In May–June, root cuttings of young shoots under plastic in moist cutting compost.

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August, 10 cm cuttings of firm shoots from this year, under plastic in moist cutting compost.

White forsythia: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −20 °C.

• Hardy to about −20 °C: in Belgium the shrub survives ordinary winters without protection.
• The risk lies with the flowers: hard night frost in February–March can turn them brown. A wall or fleece helps.
• In a pot: wrap the pot in hessian and stand it against a sheltered wall.

Diseases and pests

• Frosted flowers: Brown flowers after a frosty night. Plant in a sheltered spot or cover with fleece during frost while flowering.
• Few flowers: Too much shade or pruned at the wrong time. Prune only straight after flowering.
• Dull in summer: After flowering it is a plain green shrub. Let a summer-flowering clematis grow through it.
• Bare, tangled shrub: Not pruned enough. Each year after flowering, remove a few old stems at the base.

Through the year

• January: Buds swell. Cut stems to flower indoors.
• February: Flowering begins. Keep fleece ready for hard frost.
• March: Full flower. Planting.
• April: Last flowers; prune straight after. Add compost. Planting.
• May: Apply mulch. Take softwood cuttings.
• June: Layer low stems.
• July: Take semi-ripe cuttings. Water in dry spells.
• August: Water in dry spells, especially against a wall.
• October: Planting.
• November: Planting. No more pruning.
• December: Rest. The flower buds are already formed.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• It is the only species in the genus Abeliophyllum, and in the wild it grows only in Korea.
• The name means with leaves like Abelia; distichum refers to the leaves growing in two rows.
• It is not a true forsythia, but it is related: both belong to the olive family, as do jasmine, lilac and ash.