Forsythia

Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the olive family, Oleaceae. It is named after William Forsyth, a Scottish botanist who was royal head gardener and a founding member of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Description

Forsythia are deciduous shrubs typically growing to a height of 1–3 m (3 ft 3 in–9 ft 10 in) and, rarely, up to 6 m (20 ft) with rough grey-brown bark. The leaves are borne oppositely and are usually simple, though sometimes trifoliate with a basal pair of small leaflets. The flowers are produced in the early spring before the leaves, bright yellow with a deeply four-lobed flower, the petals joined only at the base. These become pendant in rainy weather thus shielding the reproductive parts.

Species

There are about 11 species, mostly native to eastern Asia, but one native to southeastern Europe. The most commonly horticulturally used species is Forsythia × intermedia, a hybrid of F. suspensa and F. viridissima. Many cultivars have been selected from this cross, including 'Lynwood Gold'.

Uses

Forsythia is frequently forced indoors in the early spring. It is also a common landscaping plant, used for hedges and screens. Forsythia also has some uses in traditional Chinese medicine.

See also

• Oleaceae
• William Forsyth
• Royal Horticultural Society
• Traditional Chinese medicine

External links

• Forsythia.com

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