Lynwood Gold Forsythia

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

6-9 Feet

Mature Spread

6-9 Feet

Growing Zones

5 to 8

Few plants rival forsythias as a herald of spring and the Lynwood Gold cultivar remains among the most popular forsythia for good reason. Brilliant, intense yellow blooms appear along the stems in early spring before foliage appears, so they attract a lot of attention. The Lynwood Gold forsythia also features a fast growth rate and graceful, arching branches.

The Lynwood Gold forsythia buds are hardy to minus 10 degrees Celsius (14 Fahrenheit), so in areas where late cold spells bring seriously low temperatures, flowering may be affected by unusually late cold spells. In the landscape, several of these plants in a row make an excellent flowering screen or border. A single specimen in the lawn also works well, and they can serve as a great background for spring bulbs like tulips.

Lynwood Gold Forsythia Care

Forsythias grow and bloom best when they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. The Lynwood Gold tolerates a range of soil types but will suffer in areas with poor drainage. Water the plant with a soaker hose regularly to help it get established and then only during extended periods of drought during subsequent growing seasons. A layer of organic mulch over the root zone and an annual application of low nitrogen, slow-release fertilizer in the spring will help to maintain plant vigor. 

Prune this forsythia in late spring or early summer just after flowering has finished. Cut back stems just above buds to give the plant the desired shape. Removing about a third of the oldest stems by cutting them back to ground level also rejuvenates the plant.

Lynwood Gold Forsythia Spacing

The Lynwood Gold forsythia grows quickly to reach a mature height and spread of six to nine feet. Space plants five feet apart to form a solid screen or ten feet apart to make sure each plant is visible as an individual specimen.