# Forsythia Types
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Weeping Forsythia
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Hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 5 through 8, weeping forsythia (Forsythia suspensa var. sieboldi) has a fountain-like appearance with graceful, trailing stems. When the stems touch the ground, they may set roots and form new plants or offsets. Weeping forsythia flowers have a golden color that is not as bright as other forsythia flowers, and its leaves are dark green. This drought-tolerant shrub grows up up to 10 feet high and 15 feet wide, and makes an attractive trailing plant for hills and slopes.
Greenstem Forsythia
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Greenstem forsythia (Forsythia viridissima) is an upright shrub that grows up to 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. Hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, this forsythia has greenish yellow flowers and serrated green leaves. Forsythia viridissima var. koreana “Kumson” grows up to 10 feet high and 7 feet wide, and has dark green leaves with silver veins. It grows in slightly cooler USDA zones 4 through 8. At only 1 foot high and 3 feet wide, low-growing “Bronxensis” makes a good border or groundcover. It has light yellow flowers and thrives in USDA zones 6 through 8.
Border Forsythia
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Border forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia) is a hybrid of weeping forsythia and greenstem forsythia (Forsythia viridissima). Many cultivars, including “Lynwood Gold,” thrive in USDA zones 4 through 8. This cultivar grows up to 10 feet tall and 12 feet wide, and has bright yellow flowers and green leaves that turn purplish in the fall. “Fiesta” has a compact, mounded shape and grows up to 2 to 3 feet high and 4 feet wide. Hardy in USDA zones 5 through 8, its variegated leaves have dark green edges and creamy centers.
Other Forsythia Types
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You can choose from a variety of other forsythia shrubs, such as early forsythia (Forsythia ovata), which has bright yellow flowers in early spring. It grows up to 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide, and thrives in USDA zones 5 through 7. Other hybrids include cold-hardy Forsythia x “New Hampshire Gold,” which has maroon leaves in the fall. It grows up to 5 feet high and 5 feet wide. Forsythia x “Meadowlark” grows up to 10 feet high and 10 feet wide. Both hybrids have arching growth habits and are hardy in USDA zones 3 through 8.
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