by johnah on November 19, 2020
Forsythia (Forsythia) is a plant from Mexico that grows up to 2 feet tall and produces white flowers with red centers. These are used for making teas, incense, candles, and other uses. There are many different cultivars of this plant available in the market today. For example there is one called “Kah-kah” which has large purple flowers with red centers while another type called “Rio Grande” has small purple flowers with red centers.
The plant is native to the Yucatan Peninsula and was first cultivated there during the Aztec Empire. It was brought to California by Spanish settlers in 1640s.
They named it “forsythia” because they thought its flower color resembled frosted leaves or snowflakes. However, the name was changed to “forsythia” after the English botanist John James Audubon visited Mexico in 1779 and described it as having a reddish-purple bloom.
How To Grow Forsythia?
There are several ways to grow forsythia. You can buy seeds or clones from nurseries or even grow them yourself at home. The best way is probably growing your own plants from seed. Also, it is important to know that forsythia is a plant that tends to bloom early in the spring while its leaves are still growing. These plants can grow up to 20 feet tall so they need plenty of space. You cannot grow them in small spaces.
How To Take Cuttings From Forsythia?
Cuttings can be taken from the branches during the summer or winter months. Follow these steps to take cuttings:
1. Get a sharp knife or pruning shears.
2. Cut the branch from the main plant that has grown at least 6 inches long.
3. Take out all of the leaves from the bottom 1 to 2 inches of the cutting.
4. Place the cutting into a glass of water for about 1 week so that it can root properly.
5. Once roots start to form, place the cutting into a pot with soil.
Propagating From Cuttings
It is easy to take cuttings from forsythia plants because they root easily. Here are the steps on how to do it:
1. Take cuttings during the spring months before the plant starts to bloom.
2. Cut the branch that is at least 6 inches long and has at least 2 or 3 nodes.
3. Place the cutting into a glass of water with the cut ends facing down.
4. Place the glass in a warm place but out of direct sunlight.
5. You will see white fuzz growing out of the nodes.
6. Once roots have started to form, plant the forsythia cutting into soil.
Taking cuttings from forsythia plants is very easy. You can take them from the main plant or small ones to grow indoors.
Follow the above instructions and you will have rooted cuttings in no time.
Forsythia Care
Once you have rooted your cuttings, it is important to take good care of them. The plant can grow up to 20 feet tall so you need to give it at least 6 feet diameter of soil to allow ample space for the roots to spread out.
They also require full sun and large amounts of water. If the soil is dry for more than a week, the plant will start to wilt and some of its leaves might even fall off.
Once a month, apply a balanced fertilizer to the soil. You can also top dress it with compost to provide additional nutrients.
During the summer months, water your forsythia once a week. During fall, winter and spring, you can water it once every couple of weeks or so.
As the plant gets older, it tends to lose its bottom branches and naturally grows into a small tree shape. You can prune it as you see fit to keep its shape.
Pruning Forsythia
As your forsythia grows, it will lose its bottom branches. This is completely natural and you do not need to prune the plant.
However, if you wish to keep its shape, you can prune the lower branches to give it a more formal tree shape.
Take a step ladder and start from the bottom. Use sharp and sturdy hand pruners to do this and wear protective clothing.
Prune off the bottom 1/3 to 1/2 of the branches on the tree.
The size of your forsythia will depend on how much room you give it to grow. However, even a small pot can hold a full size tree.
Enjoy your new forsythia!
You can propagate forsythias in many different ways. From starting them from seed to cuttings and even division, the choice is yours.
Whichever way you choose, it is important to care for these shrubs properly to ensure they live a long life. Follow these steps and you will have lush green hedges in no time!
Forsythia can grow into large bushes if you don’t prune them and with a little extra care, they can become trees that provide shade. Whether you want to have a large bush or small tree, follow the above instructions and in no time you will have the hedge of your dreams.
Forsythia are shrubs that are commonly found in gardens and natural areas. They are popular for the yellow flowers they produce in spring which make a beautiful and vibrant addition to any landscape.
These shrubs can be easily propagated from cuttings or seed in order to increase your collection. Learn how to grow forsythia from seeds and how to take cuttings from your existing shrub to start new ones.
While growing forsythia from seed is an option, it can take quite some time to get your new bushes growing. Instead of waiting for them to grow, you can also take cuttings instead.
In fact, taking cuttings is an easier process and gives you more control over what you want to grow. If you have multiple shrubs, you can easily create new ones in a shorter period of time.
What you’ll need to take cuttings:
Sharp knife or pruning shears
Peat moss
Perlite
Plastic pots (or your choice of plant containers)
You can find peat moss and perlite at your local garden center or home improvement store. Both are very common items and should be easy to locate.
Your cuttings can be planted in anything from plastic pots to old margarine tubs. Just make sure you have a container that has several holes in the bottom for water to drain out of.
The Equipment
The key to successfully growing cuttings is ROTATION. All you need is some simple equipment to efficiently rotate your cuttings for maximum exposure to light and air.
All you need is a small tree tripod, two clothes hangers and electrical tape.
Tree Tripod:
Two Clothes Hangers:
Electrical Tape:
The Process
Before you get started, fill your containers with a small layer of perlite, then add a small layer of peat moss and top it off with more perlite. This will allow good drainage and airflow for your cuttings.
The best time to take forsythia cuttings is in the spring when they are starting to grow.
Once you’ve gathered your equipment, it’s time to get started! Follow these simple steps and you’ll have yourself a nice new shrubbery in no time.
1. Take a 4-6 inch cutting from the top of your growing forsythia using sharp knife or pruning shears.
Make sure to cut below a node.
2. Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting
3. Place your cutting into the peat moss and perlite mixture
4. Make sure the peat moss is covering the cut end of the stem
5. Place the container in your tree tripod and make sure the stem is not touching the sides or bottom of the container.
6. Cover container with a newspaper and place it in a warm location that receives lots of sunlight.
Check on your cuttings every day and water them with room temperature water.
7. After two weeks, check the peat moss to see if it is still wet.
If it is still wet, wait another day or two before watering.
8. Once the peat moss is almost dry, water the cutting thoroughly and put it back in the sunlight.
This will be a cycle that will continue for a while. Make sure to keep the peat moss barely moist and the cutting will continue to grow.
9. Once your forsythia cuttings are 1-2 inches tall, they are strong enough to be planted outside.
Plant them in a well-drained soil and give them plenty of sunlight and they will soon enough become strong bushes.
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If you need me, I’ll be in the garden.
-The Gardner
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Sources & references used in this article:
Identification and characterization of non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum capable of increasing and decreasing Fusarium wilt severity by LM Forsyth, LJ Smith, EAB Aitken – Mycological research, 2006 – Elsevier
The Constant Gardener by HK Forsyth – 2007 – books.google.com
In vitro propagation of wild yams, Dioscorea oppositifolia (Linn) and Dioscorea pentaphylla (Linn) by GN Poornima, RV Ravishankar – African Journal of Biotechnology, 2007 – ajol.info
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