Greenstem forsythia (Forsythia viridissima ‘Bronxensis’)

Features and Characteristics

Forsythia viridissima, sometimes commonly called green-stem forsythia, is an upright deciduous shrub that grows to 10’ tall on branches clad with elliptic-oblong to lanceolate leaves (to 6” long) that are toothed above the middle. Yellow green flowers (to 1” long) bloom in early spring. It is one of the parents of the popular F. x intermedia cultivars.

Genus name honors William Forsyth (1737-180- , Scottish superintendent of the Royal Gardens of Kensington Palace and author, among other works, of A Treatise on the Culture and Management of Fruit Trees which in its day was probably the most widely read work on the subject.

Specific epithet means very green.

‘Bronxensis’ is an unusual low, spreading, flat-topped cultivar that grows to only 12” tall but spreads to 24-36” wide. Ovate bright green leaves (to 75” long) are serrated. Light yellow flowers. ‘Bronxensis’ was initially grown from seed at the Bronx Botanical Garden in New York City in 1939.