Forsythia is one of the first plants of spring to bloom in the Knoxville, Tenn. area. It’s a large deciduous shrub that grows from many stalks out of the ground rather than a central trunk. Because of this, it’s a plant that can look very leggy and wild.

From a landscape design perspective, Forsythia is best used in mass. Consider planting a row of them in front of or behind a fence, or along the edge of a wooded area. Although this plant is beautiful in spring, it’s not very striking during the rest of the year. Because of that, it’s best to use Forsythia as a background plant rather than a show-stopping specimen. In other words, keep it at the back of the yard where you can enjoy the color from a distance in the spring and forget about it the rest of the year.

Many people try to prune Forsythia to control it’s natural shape of a wild, weeping mound. Forsythia really doesn’t need to be pruned, and if you’re doing so because it’s too big (if can grow to be 6-8 feet tall), it’s been planted in the wrong location.

Forsythia is commonly mistaken for the winter-blooming Winter Jasmine, which stays quite small, spreading and growing as more of a ground cover. To learn more about Winter Jasmine, check out this blog post on 5 Winter Interest Plants for Your Knoxville Landscaping.

Forsythia pairs nicely with Red Bud trees because both are early bloomers. Red Buds will all generally bloom with the same pink and purple color but the foliage of Red Buds can vary greatly. A standard or Eastern Red Bud has medium to dark green foliage while Forest Pansy Red Buds (a favorite at Carex Design Group) has beautiful burgundy leaves. If you’re looking for a more unique variety, the Hearts of Gold Red Bud boasts lime green foliage. All Red Buds are under story trees that will do well growing near your house or next to larger canopy trees.

For help choosing the right plants for your spring landscaping, fill out our contact form or call 865-765-5550.