Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Border Forsythia, Goldenbells

Group/Class:  Show Off Series

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

A beautiful compact border shrub with an outstanding floral display; bright yellow bell-shaped flowers in spring, before emerald green foliage; more compact, dwarf form; an ideal fit for blazing color in the early spring garden

Ornamental Features

Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia is blanketed in stunning gold bell-shaped flowers with yellow overtones along the branches from early to late spring before the leaves. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has dark green deciduous foliage. The glossy pointy leaves do not develop any appreciable fall color. The brick red stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 inches. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Show Off® Sugar Baby® Forsythia makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.