European Forsythia: photo and description

European Forsythia is a tall branched deciduous shrub that looks spectacular both in single plantings and in flower arrangements. Most often, this species is used to form hedges. The leading characteristics of the plant are unpretentiousness, frost resistance, resistance to diseases and immunity to the level of air pollution. Thanks to these qualities, shrubs are grown in almost all regions of Our Country, not only in household plots, but also in city parks and playgrounds.

A description of European forsythia and a photo of a shrub are presented in the sections below.

Description of European Forsythia

European Forsythia (in Latin – Forsythia europaea) is a fast-growing species of sprawling shrubs of the Olive family, originally from the Balkan Peninsula. The height of the plant can reach 2-3 m, the average diameter is 2,5-3 m. The average annual growth of this horticultural crop is about 25 cm both in height and in width. The life expectancy of European Forsythia varies from 50 to 70 years.

The shoots of the species are strong, elastic and upright. The shape of the crown is ovoid, slightly elongated. The leaves are small – no more than 8 cm in length, light green, oval, slightly narrowed towards the end. The flowers of Forsythia European in appearance are similar to large bells of a rich dark yellow color. Their diameter is 3,5-4 cm.

A characteristic feature of the species is early flowering in April or even March, which occurs long before the leaves bloom. Flowering ends at the end of October. For the first time European forsythia blooms 3-4 years after planting.

The plant is frost-resistant, however, its resistance to drought is average. Seed germination is only 20%, so the species is propagated mainly by vegetative methods.

Planting and caring for European Forsythia

European forsythia is usually planted in open sunny areas, since inhibition of shrub growth is observed in the shade. The species is demanding on warmth, however, it tolerates low autumn temperatures well and does not need shelter in the territory of central Our Country. Even if the shoots freeze out in especially harsh winters, in the spring the shrub quickly recovers. In the Northern regions, the near-trunk area under the bushes is sprinkled with dry leaves before winter.

The type of soil on the garden plot does not really matter, however, European forsythia prefers moderately dry, fertile, drained soil.

Planting site and seedling preparation

Despite the fact that the shrub does not impose special requirements on the composition of the soil, it grows best on alkaline soil. In the event that the level of soil acidity in the area is too high, it is recommended that the soil composition be slightly adjusted. For this, the chosen place is dug up a few weeks before planting and wood ash is added to the soil.

Planting European Forsythia

Planting is carried out both in spring and autumn. In the second case, it is usually September-early October.

Recommended planting pattern for European forsythia: 70 cm x 150 cm. Landing is carried out according to the following algorithm:

1. Planting pits 60 cm deep and 50 cm in diameter are dug on the prepared site.
2. A drainage layer is laid at the bottom of the pit. To do this, you can use different materials: broken brick, gravel, crushed stone, broken clay shards. The drainage layer should be at least 15 cm, preferably 20 cm.
3. A small amount of fine-grained sand is poured over the drainage layer. Enough 5-10 cm in thickness.
4. From above, it is necessary to form a low hill from the soil mixture based on leafy soil, peat and sand, taken in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. If desired, it can be diluted with wood ash – 150-200 g of the substance is enough. Such an additive will not only serve as a good preventive measure against certain diseases of the root system, but will also act as a kind of first top dressing for shrubs.
5. After that, you can lower the seedling into the hole. Taking into account the drainage layer, soil mixture and a layer of sand, the roots of the plant should be located at a depth of 30-40 cm.
6. The root system is evenly distributed over an earthen hill and sprinkled with soil.
7. The near-stem soil is lightly tamped and watered.

Watering and top dressing

Water forsythia European moderately. In conditions of frequent rains, watering is not needed at all. In a dry summer, the bushes are watered once every 1-3 weeks. Water consumption per plant is 4-10 liters. After watering, it is recommended to slightly loosen the soil near the plant – this improves the air permeability of the soil. After loosening, the trunk circle is covered with a thin layer of mulch. For these purposes, compost is usually used.

European Forsythia is fed 3 times per season:

1. For the first time they feed the shrub in the spring, in March. To do this, use rotted manure, which after application should not touch the stem of the plant. After top dressing, plantings must be watered.
2. In April, mineral fertilizers are applied to the soil in the proportion of 60-70 g per 1 m².
3. After flowering, the drug “Kemira Universal” is used as top dressing. Dosage: about 100 g per 1 m².

Pruning plants

Young seedlings of European forsythia are subjected only to sanitary pruning, the essence of which is to remove damaged and dry shoots. This is done in order to give the bush a well-groomed appearance, but such pruning does not affect the shape.

An adult forsythia is pruned in the spring only if the ends of the branches are frozen near the shrub in winter. More significant pruning is done in the summer, after flowering. At the same time, faded shoots are removed, which are cut out by half of the total length. Old branches are pruned at a height of 40-50 cm from the ground. Such pruning stimulates the active formation of lateral shoots.

Rejuvenating forsythia pruning involves shortening all of its branches by 2/3.

Preparation for winter

The frost resistance of European forsythia is quite high, however, in the Northern regions, young plants can freeze without shelter. The advantage of the species is its rapid recovery after moderate frostbite.

As a shelter for the winter, use only that material that passes air well. Otherwise, forsythia may dry out during the thaw.

The trunk area before covering the bush is mulched with a thin layer of humus. The branches of the shrub are carefully bent to the ground and sprinkled with spruce branches.

Reproduction

European forsythia is propagated vegetatively by cuttings or layering.

Breeding with green cuttings is carried out according to the following scheme:

1. In June, part of the shoots is cut off from the bush by 15-18 cm.
2. The bottom of the cuttings is cleaned – for this, the leaves in this part are removed.
3. After that, the cut is treated with a growth stimulator. You can use the drug “Epin” for these purposes.
4. Then the cuttings are planted in a greenhouse, in perlite or sand.

Reproduction by lignified cuttings occurs a little differently:

1. Shoots are pruned in October.
2. Planting material is planted directly in open ground at the same time.
3. For a better wintering, plantings are sprinkled with dry leaves.

No less popular is the method of propagation by layering. The procedure is very simple:

1. In summer or early autumn, a young shoot is chosen at the bottom of the bush.
2. At the base, the selected branch is pulled together with a thin wire.
3. The end of the shoot is slightly incised and deepened.
4. By spring, it forms its own root system. Then the resulting layering can be deposited.

You can learn more about the propagation of European forsythia by cuttings from the video below:

Diseases and pests

European forsythia is practically free from fungus and rarely attracts insects. Of the pests, only a nematode can be distinguished, from which the root system of a shrub can suffer. In order to get rid of this pest, the soil under the plant must be sprayed with Carbation.

Despite the good resistance of the species to diseases, sometimes plantings can be affected by moniliosis or bacteriosis. In the first case, the forsythia begins to fade quickly, gray sporulation pads appear on the leaves and shoots. At the first signs of the disease, the plant is treated with a weak solution of Fundazol.

Forsythia affected by bacteriosis cannot be saved. If the planting is struck by this ailment, diseased bushes are dug up as quickly as possible and burned away from the garden plot. Signs of bacteriosis: the appearance of dark spots, wilting.

Conclusion

European Forsythia is a very popular early-flowering ornamental shrub in Our Country, which is highly valued for its resistance to many diseases and undemanding care. This species looks especially impressive in the composition of flower arrangements along with evergreen crops: thuja, spruce, juniper, but single plantings of forsythia on the lawn or planting plants on a green hedge are no less popular.