Forsythia shrub is a common plant that adorns gardens, summer cottages. This is a symbol of the arrival of spring - against the background of winter streets, a tree with bright yellow flowers suddenly begins to bloom.
This is a genus of low shrubs, trees belonging to the family Olive. It features light yellow flowers, pleasing to the eyes from early spring.
Origin description
Fortecia shrub - an ancient genus of plants. The natural habitat is scattered in Asia. In Europe, there is only one species - European fortification.
Blooming forsythia
Interesting. The name of the plant is named after the British gardener Forsyth. He brought a bush from China.
This is a low tree, bush from 1 to 3 m in height. The bark is rough, gray or brown. Leaves without stipules, long, with opposite arrangement.
The flowers are bell-shaped, yellow or pale yellow. The plant blooms from early spring. Flowers develop within 3 weeks. After they bloom, a box is formed, inside of which there are seeds.
Varieties and varieties
In Russian climatic conditions, few species and varieties of the plant in question are cultivated.
Forsythia European
Forsythia European
This plant grows up to 2 m. The branches are very spreading. It blooms in April. Yellow flowers bloom a few days before the leaves. It can grow by 25 cm per year.
The life span of a yellow Forsythia shrub is approximately 70 years. Used to create green flowering hedges.
Forsythia is drooping
The variety was brought to Europe from China. This shrub reaches 3 m in height. The branches are thin, tetrahedral, olive or red. The flowers are large, golden yellow. There are several varieties of drooping forsythia:
- mottled - with bright flowers and yellowish leaves;
- Fortune - with narrowed leaves and flowers of a dark yellow hue;
- purplish-stem has dark red shoots and the same leaves.
Forsythia Intermediate
This is a hybrid species, bred when crossing Forsythia drooping and dark green. Grows to 3 meters, blooms for about 3 weeks. In the middle lane, the shrub should be sheltered for the winter. The plant is well resistant to dry periods.
The flowers are bell-shaped, yellow. The leaves look like a lancelet. There are varieties of intermediate Forsythia:
- Beatrix Farrand - grows up to 4 m, with bright yellow flowers;
- Denziflora is a small shrub up to 1.5 m, with pale yellow flowers. The bush is unstable to frost;
- Spectabilis is a bush about 1 m high and has a large crown. Leaves change color to purple by autumn. The flowers are large, blooming in late April.
Forsythia Intermediate
Forsythia ovoid
This is the most winter-resistant species. Shrub of small height, with wide branches, bright green leaves. The flowers are bright. It blooms earlier than other representatives of the genus, however, the flowering period is limited to two weeks, sometimes slightly longer.
In autumn, the plant is especially beautiful with its dark purple leaves. In the conditions of the Moscow Region it winters without the use of shelter. However, in the Leningrad region, the bush requires it.
Forsythia is dark green
The plant blooms early and is very plentiful. It grows to 2 meters. Variegated leaves, dark green in color, have a golden border.
This Forsythia loves the sun, winter-resistant. Excellently propagated by using cuttings.
Forsythia snow
The bush grows by about 2 meters. Leaf blades are long, spring green, purple in summer. This type of forsythia has interesting flowers: they are white with a yellow throat.
Forsythia Giralda
This species is less resistant to winter. Reaches 2 meters in height. The shoots are straight, brownish-yellow. The leaves are dark green, have the shape of an ellipse. It begins to bloom in May. The flowers are elegant, white-yellow, with twisted petals.
Forsythia Transplant
Proper planting ensures its survival in a new place, abundant and prolonged flowering, the absence of pests and diseases.
Forsythia landing
What you need for landing
First of all, for landing you need to choose the best place. It is necessary to prepare a sufficient amount of drainage and water for watering the seedling.
Optimal place
Forsythia should be planted in open ground either in early spring or in late autumn. The best place is a semi-shaded area, protected from cold winds. Although the plant is shade-loving, it needs a sufficient amount of sunlight for optimal development.
Forsythia is unpretentious to the composition of the soil.
Important! The bush will feel best on alkaline soil. A low pH is increased by adding a little ash to the soil.
Step-by-step landing process
First, to plant a plant, you need to dig a small hole in the flowerbed 50 cm wide and length and 60 cm deep. The roots should be about 40 cm deep.
Before landing, a layer of drainage is poured into the pit: crushed stone, crushed brick, sand, sheet mixture, peat, ash. The seedling is placed in a hole, dug in a layer of earth and must be watered abundantly.
Forsythia propagation
Forsythia can propagate by cuttings and seeds.
Cuttings
Cuttings about 15 cm long are cut in June. The leaflets below are carefully removed. Cuttings need to be treated with a substance that stimulates the process of root formation. After that, they are planted in a greenhouse with sand.
As a method of propagation, the rooting of lignified cuttings is considered. They are cut off in the fall (optimally in October). Cuttings are planted in the soil.
Forsythia propagation by cuttings
Important! With this method of planting, it is necessary that several buds remain above the surface.
Cuttings take shelter for the winter leaves. In the spring they will begin to grow. In the fall, strong and viable seedlings will grow from them.
Forsythia breeds with the help of layering. In summer or early autumn, the lower young shoot bends to the ground by pulling its base with wire. The bark is incised on the side that is in contact with the ground. The shoot is sprinkled with soil (it is possible with a mixture of soil and manure). Very soon, such an escape will have additional roots.
In the spring, the accessory branch is cut. Next spring, a young plant will bloom.
Seed cultivation
Seeds are removed in October, placed for 2 months in a cool room. In March, they are sown in a box with nutrient mixtures, which are placed in a greenhouse. The box must be covered with glass.
About a month later, shoots appear. Young plants grow very slowly. They are planted only the next year. Seedlings for the second summer grow to about 30 cm and require mandatory shelter. Only in the third year the seedling reaches 90 cm in height and is used for planting.
Forsythia care
Caring for this plant is not much different from caring for other bushes in the garden.
Watering conditions
If during the summer there is a lot of rain, then Forsythia is not watered. In dry summer, the bush should be watered 2 times during the month. At least 12 liters of water should be poured under each plant.
After watering, the soil necessarily loosens. Need to remove weed grass. Loosening is necessary so as to ensure the flow of air to the roots (approximately to the depth of the shovel). After loosening, close the trunk area with a compost mixture.
Top dressing
Shrub should be fertilized 3 times. In early spring (early March), a layer of manure is placed near the trunk. Then it is watered. At this time, manure acts as mulch and fertilizer.
In April, combined mineral fertilizer is introduced. Per square meter you need about 70 g of it.
Finally, the soil must be fertilized after flowering. At this time, buds are laid for future flowers. The optimal fertilizer is Kemira universal (about 120 g per 1 sq. M of soil).
During flowering
Care for the flowering shrub consists in timely fertilizing and watering if the weather is dry.
During rest
During the rest period, sanitary pruning is performed. Shriveled and old shoots are removed. Home pruning is done in the summer when flowering stops.
Note! Branches, which have ended flowering, are shortened by about half. Dry stems leave about 4-6 centimeters so that they grow.
To rejuvenate the tree, you need to cut off all the stems, leaving about 6 cm. This stimulates the growth of young shoots. You can not do this pruning too often - the bush will grow well, but not fully bloom.
Important! The optimal frequency of rejuvenation of Forsythia is no more than 1 time in 3 years.
Winter preparations
To protect the plant from low temperatures, you need to cover the area around the trunk with foliage. Its optimal layer is at least 10 cm. Bend the branches, sprinkling spruce branches on top. In early March, this shelter is removed.
Preparing forsythia for the winter
You can cover young bushes with spruce branches. If in the winter there was a lot of snow, then the plant perfectly wintered without cover.
Forsythia is a beautiful unpretentious plant that can decorate any garden or garden, if you look after it. Care does not require special skills. Any gardeners can use Forsythia to turn their garden, home into a real work of art.
